


I Need My Girl

by YeahIDontKnowWhatImDoing



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Bughead Smut, F/M, Smut, bughead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2018-11-06 16:24:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 22,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11039883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YeahIDontKnowWhatImDoing/pseuds/YeahIDontKnowWhatImDoing
Summary: It’s a slow burn roomates au with eventual smut and a whole lot of fluff. Betty and Jughead are out of college and rooming together in NYC and it couldn’t have been a more self-destructive decision. They’re both in love and best friends since the dawn of time. What could go wrong? I mean almost everything, sexy times ensue.





	1. Somebody Else

**Author's Note:**

> Her is the first chapter of a new fic I’m writing. It’s a slow burn roomates au with eventual smut and a whole lot of fluff. Betty and Jughead are out of college and rooming together in NYC and it couldn’t have been a more self-destructive decision. They’re both in love and best friends since the dawn of time. What could go wrong? Here it goes.

_I don't want your body_   
_But I hate to think about you with somebody else_   
_Our love has gone cold_   
_You're intertwining your soul with somebody else_

_The 1975_

_\---_

They told each other everything, ever since they were little kids,  
everything except the fact that they both have had a thing for each other ever since each could remember.

But Betty had commitment issues and was never going to give up the one person who mattered the most.  
She didn’t believe in falling in love, at least romantically.  
She invited both boys and girls into her bed, but she always had them leave in the morning.  
She didn’t even believe she was capable of that kind of love, she cared, so much, but never in that way for anyone.  
She felt as if every person she ever talked to, or kissed was just destined to fade away or for her to become uninterested.  
Jughead was the only one she ever kept for herself.  
He always belonged to her, over their 2 am conversations, over when her mom kicked her out in high school, and even when she went college in another state. He was always there for her; there was an understanding between them. He was hers.

Jughead, truthfully was always waiting for Betty to wake up and change her mind. As he saw each girl and boy enter and exit out the doors, he wondered whether she’d ever get over it.  
Loving her was never for the sake of pining or wanting to get laid.  
It was more than that.  
He hated seeing her push away everyone. Yet she never pushed him away. He was always there to pick up the popcorn and turn on the movie so she wouldn’t have to talk about it. But all he wanted was to talk about it. The elephant in the room was holding over his head ever since high school.  
But he loved her, and he knew she didn’t want that, she’s never wanted anything-long term.  
He just couldn’t tell whether it was because she didn’t have it in her or that she just couldn’t connect.  
Her parents fucked her up for sure, but so did his. They were both royally fucked up, overbearing mothers and alcoholic dads weren’t a piece of cake. Maybe they were both too fucked up for each other he thought.

 ---

Betty shrugged on her leather jacket as she grabbed her keys to her red Camaro, just about the walk out the door.  
“Hey, where are you going Blondie? I thought we had a movie date tonight.” Jughead asked, as Betty was half way through the door. Betty’s head proceeded to slump over a bit as she closed her eyes. She had forgotten he thought.  
“Jughead, I’m sorry but Ronnie just called and…” She said in a panicked tone, trailing off.  
“And you have fuck date with her.” Jughead stated, eyes empty holding his stare. Her green eyes flitted out of his view, avoiding his gaze.  
“Yeah, but you know like c’mon, a girl’s gotta get some!” Betty insisted as she tried to close the door behind her.  
“Yeah, I mean… yeah! Go have fun. I’ll see you later.” Jughead stated as he forced a fake smile. It was getting harder to fake it, but yet again there he was watching her smile as she ran out the door.

He pulled out his phone and called the only person who would be free at such late notice.

“Hey Archie, up for a movie night? My microwave has some popcorn with your name on it.” Jughead said into the tone trying to sound sincere. He heard Archie laugh over the phone.

“Betty ditch you again?” Archie asked already knowing the answer.

Every time Betty bailed on him Archie was always the one Jughead would go to. Trying to explain 25 years of love and complications to someone new sounded like hell for Jughead, and truly Archie was the only one who fully understood the situation. Archie was the only one who knew Jughead’s secret sad affair. An affair behind closed doors unnoticed by the beautiful Elizabeth Cooper. The girl next door that Archie used to hold a torch for but quickly got over the minute he started noticing things. Things like Betty dating, Jughead never dating, and the long glances left between the two. It wasn’t Archie’s job to get involved, he knew that. But watching Betty emotionally detach herself from everything and Jughead never getting over her and not doing anything about it was one of the hardest things to watch. The two were just so damn in love he thought.

“I can’t fool you can I?” Jughead quipped as a sad smile fell on his face.

“No you can’t. I’ll be over in twenty minutes.”

 ---

“I still don’t understand why she didn’t just visit him! I mean it’s the 1940s not the ice age, there are cars. And why wasn’t the mom arrested, it’s illegal to go through someone else’s mail! The shouldn’t have named it The Notebook , they should of named it Crazy Rich Mother Spoils Pure Love, Oh And They Die .” Archie argued with tears down his eyes. The Notebook always made Archie cry.

Jughead sat there smiling his ass off, looking at Archie distressed and grasping the couch pillow as he continued on with his speech.

“I know but c’mon, it’s a classic tragedy. Circling around each other their whole lives, finally ending it all together. It’s bittersweet, but… beautiful.” He answered as he went over to his dvd collection, looking for a safe movie. Archie definitely needed something lighthearted, no dead animals, no long lost loves. So no Disney.

“Jughead just cause you have a boner for constant heartbreak does not mean The Notebook is a good movie.” Archie fired back as he stuffed another huge handful of popcorn into his mouth.

“You just don’t like the movie because Sabrina said Ryan Gosling was hotter than you.”

Archie winced as Jughead mentioned Sabrina’s name. Jughead wasn’t the only one with a broken heart Jughead thought to himself.

“Oh my god, don’t even get me started on her. What a mistake.”

“You know I think she’d say the same about you Arch.”

“WE WERE ON A BREAK!” Archie exclaimed, clearly he was still not over it.

“THAT DIDN’T WORK ON FRIENDS AND IT’S NOT GOING TO WORK FOR YOU.” Jughead said, imitating Archie’s whiny tone.

To this Archie let out an over exaggerated ‘ugh.’ As Jughead slid the dvd of the movie Juno into the player and hit play.

About an hour had passed by when Jughead heard the door open with a thud. Archie turned his head as he saw it.

There was Betty Cooper, wrapped up in the arms of her newest fuck buddy, a girl about the same height as Betty with raven black hair. Betty sure had a type Archie thought to himself. The couple hadn’t noticed them 30 feet away sitting on the living room couch as they moved forward towards Betty’s room down the hall, pulling each other’s clothes off in the process.

Archie looked over at Jughead. His eyes were empty, focused on the pair, his eyebrows furrowed and then Archie saw it. The sad look in his eyes, the longing look as his blue eyes darkened and his cheeks flushed. He could see Jughead bite the inner part of his cheek and his jaw clench. It was like whiplash.

Betty and the girl now had disappeared and a set of sounds started to emit from the hall. Jughead turned his back to the TV, watching the next scene in the movie.

“Are-uh, you okay?” Archie asked softly, barely making a sound.

“Yeah, it’s just you know, good for her getting out there and getting some. Go her.”

Jughead didn’t even try to sound happy. He knew that his words were total bullshit. And in truth, his whole body was numb at the picture appearing in his head. The moans approaching weren’t helping either. He turned up the volume on the TV trying to drown it out.

“Does she do that a lot? Bring…guests over in the middle of the night for you to see.”

“I don’t think she thinks anything of it. She shares everything with me, it’s not like she’s ever tried to hide her dating to me before. Why start being discreet now?”

She doesn’t share everything with you Jug is what Archie wanted to say. Though he knew it wasn’t his secret to tell, and hell, Jughead wouldn’t even believe him if he had.

“Well Jughead, agreeing to move in with her wasn’t the best idea.”

“You don’t think I fucking know that Archie.” Jughead snapped. He immediately regretted his harshness and muttered: “Sorry, I just-“

“I know.” Archie finished. Jughead turned back to the TV wondering whether they should just leave. He turned to look at Archie but found him grabbing the whiskey from the cabinet and heading out to the patio.

“I figure you need a drink and that movie isn’t the best noise canceler.” Archie said offering a sympathetic smile.

“Yeah, you’re right. I do need a drink. Only because of the fact that I can’t let you drink that whole thing by yourself. Face the facts Golden Boy, you’re a lightweight.” Jughead joked as he closed the glass door and sat down against the wall outside.

Archie chugged back a swig of the whiskey, wincing at the sting in his throat.

“I think you’re wrong about that, I actually think you’re wrong about a lot of things Jughead.”

“Yeah, yeah, now stop hogging the juice.”


	2. You Know I'm No Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roomate AU Slow Burn. An insight into to Betty's mind and domestic bughead. God bless these two idiots who can't seem to figure it out.

_I cheated myself,_   
_Like I knew I would_   
_I told you I was trouble,_   
_You know that I'm no good_

_Amy Winehouse_

_\---_

Betty bit back another moan as she continued to ride on top of Veronica. She could feel every cell in her body go limp as Ronnie’s hand continued to pump back and forth. Betty’s eyes rolled to the back of her head as her hair fell down back and her head hung in the air. Her body shuddered at the heat radiating throughout her body. The slight moment of feeling felt like slowly edging closer to fall over a cliff, and it was exhilarating. Her core clenched around Veronica’s hand as she felt herself cum on top of her fingers. Her body released and the feeling went away and she went back to before. The adrenaline subsided and emptiness crept up into Betty’s chest once again. Within a minute she quickly climbed off Ronnie and put on a pair of Jughead’s boxers from her closet and a tank top.

“I’m gonna go to the bathroom. I’ll be back, and then we can work on you.” Betty stated with certainty. It was too late to put in the effort to flirting. Veronica smiled back at her until her eyes trailed down to the boxers on the blonde girl before her.

“I’ll be waiting.” Veronica called as Betty slipped out the door.

Betty padded down the hallway to the farther away bathroom down by the living room, not wanting to wake Jug up. Until she stopped in her tracks as she saw them outside the patio door. There was Jughead and Archie laughing in the moonlight passing a bottle of whiskey back and forth. Had they seen her and Ronnie? Her eyes shut cringing at the thought of it. Immediately regretting her earlier actions she ran to the bathroom before they could see her.

She banged her head against the bathroom door before she dared to look at herself in the mirror. Why the fuck are you doing this to him? Deep down in her drunken state were the times when she would realize it. She didn’t acknowledge the warning signs; normally she didn’t even believe they were there. He was her best friend, nothing more, and nothing less. But if that was true then why did she have this sinking feeling at the thought of him seeing, hearing, what was just going on behind her bedroom.

She tore herself up from her muddled state and went to the toilet, brushed her teeth, wiped off the her trudged mascara, and rushed back to her room.

“Can you not eat me out while you’re wearing those?” Veronica uttered as Betty began to pull of Ronnie’s black underwear.

“What do you mean?” Betty asked, not wanting to fully admit that she knew exactly why Ronnie was perturbed.

“What I mean is, can you not wear your fucking lover boy’s boxers while we’re fucking?” Veronica volleyed back, annoyed with Betty and her weird relationship with Jughead. Veronica never tried to pry until she had seen them together in their natural state. All Veronica could think was that Betty was really good at faking adoration, but she couldn’t fake it to Ronnie after she had witnessed what Betty really looked like when she was in love. And it definitely stung to see it.

Betty tensed as she heard Veronica’s question. She didn’t know what to say. She could tell that Veronica didn’t really get along with Jughead but this sounded like jealousy. Betty wasn’t ready for jealousy, she wasn’t ready for anything.

“I-I’ll take them off. You see?” Betty uttered as she stripped down before Ronnie quirking up her lip just a bit. Quite pleased with herself as she stood there fully undressed letting her tongue trail over her lips.

“God I hate you.”

The words And you should popped into Betty’s mind.

—

Jughead woke up to the sweet aroma of bacon and eggs the next morning. That was about the only good thing about waking up. His head felt like someone had taken a hammer and just went batshit crazy on him, Jack Nicholson style like in The Shining. His mouth was dry and his eyes winced at the sunlight peaking out of the windows. Goddamn you Archibald Andrews. It was safe to say that the whiskey was definitely a mistake.

After 20 minutes of sulking in his bed he finally mustered up the strength to venture out of his room. He walked into the kitchen finding Betty slaving away at the stove in a pair of his boxers and a tank top. Was she trying to kill him?

“I see the famous Forsythe Jones has arisen back from the dead. Tell me, what’s on the other side? How does it feel to know what lies in the deep dark beyond?” Betty asked smiling as her ponytail bobbed as she shook her head.

Jughead sighed as a smile crept up onto his face as she was placing her famous Cuban breakfast in front of him. “Oh you know the usual, eternal damnation. That sort of thing.” He said chuckling as she handed him some water and coffee.

“Well I’m glad you’re okay. After all, who the hell was I going to have test out all my cooking? Surely not Archie.” Betty replied with a smirk on her face as she climbed into her seat next to him with a fork. She began to eat from this plate, Jughead grimaced in response.

“Betty, this breakfast is the only thing going well in my life, must you insist on stealing it all?” He groaned as he practically had a thumb war with her but with forks on the plate.

“Jug, we’ve been over this. The less plates we use the less dish washing you have to do.” She quipped grabbing a bit of the black beans and potatoes and popping the fork into her mouth. “And I made enough of this breakfast to feed four people so you really have no choice but to shut up and eat with me.” She continued as she sat up on her leg leaning into his side as she grabbed another bite. His shoulder warmed up to her touch and he had immediately forgotten why he was mad at her. God, she was good.

This had become a regular routine of theirs. Betty cooks, she eats off his plate refilling the plate as many times until Jughead was full, and he does the dishes. Betty used to do the dishes but one time Betty had gotten so stressed out that she broke a glass in the sink and ended up with three stitches. Ever since then Jughead wouldn’t let her even touch the dish soap.

—

“Jughead you let me cut vegetables with steak knives but you won’t let me wash dishes?”

“Hey! I can’t help you with that cause I’m a lost cause in the kitchen, but I can protect you by washing these dishes!” He exclaimed while furiously holding up the plate he was scrubbing.

“That doesn’t even make any sense Juggie.”

That conversation ended with Jughead throwing bits of foam from the sink at the blonde. That day was a blood bath.

“I smell like pasta sauce and dawn dishwashing soap. This is all your fault!”

“Well at least you smell like Carribean Breeze.” He teased as he presented the bottle of dawn scented Caribean Breeze soap like he was in a commercial. In response, she had grabbed the bottle of dawn and squeezed it’s entire contents onto his floppy head of hair.

“Well now you smell like Carribean Breeze too!” She squeaked as she slammed the empty bottle on the kitchen counter.

“Betty how am I supposed to finish washing these if I don’t have any soap to wash them in?” He asked as the soap started to drip down his forehead.

“I don’t know…” She said as she moonwalked backwards until she was in the bathroom and turning on the shower.

That morning a few weeks ago, Jughead had finished the dishes while listening to Betty sing Dexys Midnight Riders’ Come on Eileen repeatedly in the shower.

—

After Betty and Jughead had gone through three plates of Betty’s Cuban breakfast Jughead found himself remembering the events of last night. He was staring into space as the images of Betty and Veronica making out and more in the hallway in front of him and Archie played over in his mind.

“Jughead what’s wrong?” Betty asked trying to get his attention. Jughead snapped out of his trance saying “Oh nothing, I was just thinking about what time Pop needs me in today.”

“Didn’t you say you were working from 4:00 to 1:00 yesterday?”

“Oh yeah, that must be it.” He said lying already knowing when exactly his shift was. Never in his life had he forgotten a shift at the diner.

“Okay well I’ve gotta get dressed, those articles don’t write themselves.” She called walking down to her room. She was in her bedroom before he could ask her how her date went, even though he already knew the answer. He just hoped he’d get a different one if he’d asked.

He sunk into his chair wishing she hadn’t left. He lived for the intimate moments when she would practically sit in his lap eating off his plate. His whole body would practically melt into a puddle, as she would nudge up next him leaning back into his shoulder as she grabbed another bite off the plate. He didn’t care if she kept stealing food right out of his fork or rather what she cooked. She was Betty Cooper. The sweetest girl in the world could hand him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and it would still leave him all warm inside with a smile on his face. Betty Cooper never seized to impress.


	3. Like You Were Never Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some intel on Archie, and Betty and Jughead in highschool. FP did something right. Sexy times ;)

_I felt empty space, never could explain_  
_Like you were erased, never could replace_  
_Now it’s so clear with you right here_  
_Like you were never gone_  
_Picked up where we left off_  
_Like you were never gone_

_Hannah Mills_

_\---_

Jughead wiped down the counter of Pop’s diner after he cleaned off the tables towards the end of his shift. No customers had come in in awhile and Jughead decided to get some writing done. However Archie strutted into the diner around 12:45 bored as hell trying to distract himself from the recent fight he had with Sabrina.

“He-ey Jug.” Archie said hesitantly as he plopped onto the barstool.

“He-ey Buddy.” Jughead responded with a sly smile imitating Archie’s ridiculous tone, once again.

“Sooo maybe drinking that whole bottle of whiskey was a bad idea on my part?” Archie joked as he scrunched his face closing one of his eyes for emphasis.

“No shit Archie, I had myself dosing down three cups of coffee and three different types of over the counter pain medications along with four plates of Betty’s breakfast. I was a train wreck.”

“Yeah well, my morning wasn’t so pretty either…” He said as he buried his head in his arms leaning onto the counter, shielding his face from Jughead.

“You didn’t drunk call Sabrina did you?”

Archie didn’t respond, burying himself further against the counter, avoiding Jughead’s gaze.

“Did You?”

“Okay…maybe…”

“Archie.”

“I know, I know. Sabrina doesn’t deserve this blah blah blah. But honestly isn’t your opinion a little biased? You did grow up next to the girl.”

“You know I could say the same about a certain blonde that grew up next to you.”

“Yeah but that’s different, you and Betty have been chasing around each other since the dawn of time. Sabrina and I only started having feelings for each other sophomore year of college. And even then, it was fresh.”

“Yeah well you’ve always had better luck than me in that department anyways.”

“Speaking of Betty, and that department…how was this morning, what did you say to her? Did you talk about last night…and… the girl…?”

Jughead sighed as Archie asked about the unavoidable question, what was up with him and Betty? To be honest he didn’t really have an answer.

“Nothing eventful, we had breakfast, fought over the plate, and she went to work. I didn’t mention last night. And even if I did, what would I even say?”

“OH I don’t know Jug, maybe ‘hey Betty stop sleeping with everyone but me cause I’m so hot for you, I love you, please have my babies!’ ” Archie exclaimed as he rose from his hidden state with a smile as wide as the state of Texas.

Jughead practically shrieked in shock at Archie’s words but the bell rang and soon customers filed in. It was the 1:00 am drunk crowd. How Lovely Jughead thought to himself. As Jughead grabbed his notepad and pen to take orders and Archie sat up from the bar stool and headed over to the door.

“I’m serious though Jug, I know you have a thing for never showing your actual feelings, but you can’t be silent forever.”

—

Jughead stirred from his sleep to find a light peaking out as his bedroom door creaked open. There she was in all her glory, the blonde bombshell standing in his doorway. She can’t sleep again he realized seeing the wetness trailing onto her cheeks and her disheveled curls. But unfortunately due to his hormones that wasn’t the only thing he noticed about her state.

Betty Cooper was standing in his doorway in the middle of the night only sporting an old rolling stones tee and a pair of red panties lined with lace. His eyes trailed up and down her long legs as she shifted under her feet. She seemed nervous. God, get yourself together, she’s clearly not here to bone you, you idiot.

“I couldn’t sleep.” Betty shrugged as a little smile crept up onto her flushed face.

“Alright, c’mere.” Jughead said in a puff as he pulled back his sheets.

However it wasn’t until Betty turned to close his door that he realized he had made a very serious error. His eyes naturally had fell onto another fact of Betty’s choice of attire. Betty was wearing a thong.

Oh my god, what have you done he thought to himself realizing the reality of the situation. He was about to either somehow figure out how to throw her out with a good explanation or prepare himself for the eventual embarrassing moment that was bound to happen. Did she really have to wear that, like what was the point of him letting her steal his boxers if this was gonna happen. Suddenly the image of Betty only wearing his boxers popped into his head. This was not helping.

It was a known fact to Jughead that Betty had sleeping problems. Even in high school she would call him up in the middle of the night in shaky breaths and teary eyes. FP had even given Jughead an extra pair of the keys to the truck because he didn’t want him walking over to the Cooper’s house at 3 am every week. Jughead’s dad did a lot of shitty things but he noticed the looks Betty received from Jughead and always supported the pair. In other words FP was grateful that Betty Cooper existed, he knew no matter how much he would fuck up Betty would always be there to pick up the pieces. Sure it was messed up of FP to think about it that way, but it was the truth, Betty was there for Jughead, always. In ways that FP never could be.

—

Jughead had been caught off guard by the kindness of FP’s actions when the keys to the mint colored truck were dropped into his hands.

“Hey son, here’s an extra key to the truck.”

“Dad, what-“

“Hey I may be stupid, but I tend to notice when my son is running off to another girl’s house every other night. This way I don’t have to worry about some punk beating you up in the middle of the night. Just remember to park it out of Alice Cooper’s sight.” He ended with a wink.

“Dad, Betty and I-I aren’t like that. She just, she just gets scared and can’t sleep sometimes.”

“Yeah and you always coming to her beck and call every night doesn’t reek of teenage romance at all…” FP quipped with a smug smile on his face. Jughead stood there trying to think of a clever response as he fumbled with the keys in his hand.

“Look son I’m not holding an interrogation here. I’m just saying I like Betty. She seems good for you. Hey and maybe if you guys ever get your heads out of your asses maybe you can take her out to the drive in with those keys. “

Jughead smiled at the idea of taking Betty to the drive in. The picture of Betty all warmed up in a quilt tucked up next to him in the belly of the mustang appeared in his head. Maybe Rebel Without A Cause?

“Thanks Dad.” Was all Jughead could muster as he headed out of the trailer.

That was the first time they had had a sober conversation in weeks.

—

Betty had been trying to fall asleep for hours. Betty never could really explain why her mind wouldn’t settle and reside when it was supposed to. Sometimes her whole body would tense up in the sheets of her own bed and she would suddenly feel alone. A need in her chest would rise and fear would settle in. Tossing and turning or curling into herself would only make the feeling worse. Sometimes she just couldn’t be alone at night. Throughout the years Betty had been biting back the feeling of loneliness. She considered herself independent and strong but in reality that was just not feeling anything or maybe feeling too much. She never could tell between the two.

When the panic would set in and the tears would appear she would call Jughead. Now coming to think of it most of her nights in high school were spent curling up to the boy under her pink polka dot comforter. Jughead would find himself crawling up to Betty’s window at the ring of a phone call and eventually it came to the point when it was a habit of theirs. A routine.

When Betty went to college in Pittsburgh and Jughead left for NYU Betty had to find new ways to fall asleep. Two of which included a lot of sleeping with other people and drinking until she was on a high that could let her easily doze off. There was no shame in the fact that Betty liked to get around but more in the fact that she was doing it so she wouldn’t have to sleep alone. On some level it did the trick to relaxing her enough to sleep. But on a way more frightening level something felt wrong to Betty about falling asleep in other another person’s arms after all those nights with Jughead. She couldn’t really figure out why it bothered her so much.

So there she stood for the millionth time in Jughead’s doorway asking for a spot next to him. As Betty looked over at Jug she noticed that maybe only wearing a tee shirt and a thong was weird. When she had gotten up from her bed she hesitated at making a dress change. She wasn’t per say directly trying to seduce Jughead but then again, she didn’t mind the look on his face when his eyes wavered to the area of interest.

Betty waited for Jughead’s response while shuffling her feet as she could feel the heat rising up in her cheeks.

“Alright, c’mere.” Jughead uttered softly as an invitation. The words instilled a sense of a sense of sanctuary in Betty as she closed the door and climbed into his grasp.

Betty however wasn’t the only one who wasn’t exactly dressed modestly. All he was wearing was a pair of boxers and both of them had noticed when Jughead had pulled her into his side with arm tucked over her waist. Betty could feel the uneven breaths from the boy as head rested against hers.

Betty’s body relaxed as his arm pulled her into him and she could feel the heat of him surrounding her. His other arm was tucked around her head and his fingers fell in her hair. He began to trace circles into her scalp, slowly moving her curls out of the way so he that his head rested against her shoulder.

“Bad night huh?” Jug whispered against her neck.

“Not anymore.” Betty uttered as her cheeks flushed at the closeness of his lips and her neck. Jughead’s chest warmed at the words as he was trying desperately to keep himself calm. They had slept like this together many times before but something about tonight was more intimate, maybe it was the lack of clothes, maybe she was finally letting her guard down he hoped.

“Yeah well, I do what I can.” He said as a light chuckle erupted from him followed by him freezing in utter panic. No, no, no, no, this is not happening.

Betty laughed as she felt what was happening in Jughead’s boxers. Maybe she was wearing the thong to seduce him after all. Betty turned to face him, finding a very embarrassed Jughead in front of her. She looked at him sheepishly as he tried not to make eye contact.

“Jughead. This is kind of my fault so don’t be embarrassed.”

“That’s easy for you to say, you didn’t just get a boner when you were supposed to be comforting your best friend.”

Betty reached up to his head, running her hands through his hair. She smiled as she looked at the mortified raven-haired boy. She couldn’t believe she was about to say this.

“You know, I could help you out. If you want.” She said as her eyes met his taking him in. A shiver went down Jughead’s spine as the words fell from her lips. She had flirted with him many of times before but had never actually acted on anything, never proposed anything. His lips parted as her hand fell down to his cheek and traced the edge of his jawline with her thumb.

“O-kay.” He whispered softly after he watched her eyes glimmer in the dark, waiting for an answer. Her hand moved from his jaw, travelling over his shoulder, down his arm and torso until it was hovering over his happy trail. She looked up at him through her lashes as she fiddled with the waistband of his boxers.

“Nice boxers.”

“Yeah maybe if you wore mine we wouldn’t being doing this.” He laughed as she stole a kiss right under his jaw.

“Yeah well, I think your opinion of my choice of attire tonight has already been made pretty apparent.” She quipped as her hand ran over the fabric covering his boner. His breath hitched as her fingers played down his happy trail until they were slipping under the plaid fabric.

Her eyes searched his as her fingers travelled further down. She ran her fingers down his length as her eyes focused on his mouth, watching him elicit a moan.

“B-etts…I-“

“Shhhh” She whispered as her lips hovered over his neck. Her index finger trailed down to the head causing a twitch. She smiled against his adam’s apple hearing his breaths quicken. Blood rushed down to his abdomen causing him to lost control muttering her name again. Her movements quickened as he could feel himself falling over the edge, in a wave of euphoria. His eyes closed as she uttered the words ‘just let go, Juggie’ against his skin.

Suddenly his boxers were drenched and he could see Betty licking her fingers as the green in her eyes darkened. She kept his stare as her fingers left her mouth with a ‘pop’.

“Here hold on.” Betty said as she rushed off to the bathroom coming back with a damp washcloth. She handed it to the boy as she went to his dresser. She opened the top drawer grabbing a pair of red and black boxers. He threw his ruined boxers into the hamper as he tugged the new ones on him under the sheets. When he looked back up at Betty he found her already wearing a pair of his sweatpants.

“What is it with you and stealing my clothes?” He smirked at her as she snuggled back under the sheets, curling into him. He kissed the top of her head, wondering whether the girl under his grasp would be the same one in the morning. The moment felt so sweet he didn’t trust it, knowing her patterns; this could easily not change anything.

He fell asleep to the smell of strawberries and sex with his arms wrapped around Betty Cooper.


	4. This Is How It Goes

_This is how it goes:_  
One more failure to connect  
With so many how could I object?  
And you, what on earth did you expect?  
Well, I can’t tell you, baby  
When this is how it goes

_Aimee Mann_

—

Betty’s eyes flitted open and she could smell Jughead’s cologne around her. Sunlight was peaking out from the skylight in his room and she watched as she could see the light reflect on the dust floating in the air. She played last night’s events over and over in her mind trying to decipher what they meant to her, what they meant to him. A wave of fear rushed over her as she imagined that it would change things between them. A weight pulled down on her chest and an uneasy feeling festered under her skin. Her thoughts clouded her mind, running around inside her head until she found herself in a dissociated state. Her body tightened under his touch and guilt filled her bones. She realized that she needed to get out of there.

She pulled herself out of his arms slowly before sneaking out of the room. Before she walked out the door she turned to look at him. Her eyes grazed down at the ridiculous look on his face as he let out a snore. His face buried in the pillows with his wavy black curls in a mess crowning his head. She liked the way he looked without his beanie, it was raw, uninhibited and beautiful. _He was beautiful._

She slipped into a pair of athletic shorts and a sports bra; she put on her running shoes and grabbed a pair of clothes for work. She left a note on the kitchen counter saying her boss called her in early even though she wasn’t due in for four hours. She sprinted out of the house onto the street. She ran for hours, trying to erase what she did. She circled the district until she found herself at Veronica’s apartment.

She greeted Veronica with a smile before she pushed her towards the bedroom. Betty clumsily toppled over Veronica into a sea of limbs, grasping at her skin. The heat ran over her body as she almost uttered the Jughead’s name.

Veronica left her tangled in the violet sheets as Betty stared at the ceiling thinking of the beanie wearing, blue eyed boy, who’s face wouldn’t leave her mind.

As the blonde headed to work Jughead found himself alone. He sighed waking up to exactly what he expected. He trudged into the Kitchen finding a note left by the sink.

_My Boss called me in early today. There’s some left over bacon and cheesy potatoes on the second shelf. Don’t wait up for me to go to Cheryl’s, I’ll probably have to stay late at work._

_See You Later._

_-Betts_

He read the note over and over until the black writing began to blur and he couldn’t focus his eyes. Nothing about it made sense, and yet it made sense all the sense in the world. This was Betty, Betty Cooper didn’t do relationships. She didn’t promise him anything. There were no declarations or commitments, and after all it’s not like she owed him anything. But if she didn’t owe him anything then why did it fucking feel like his heart had just fell into his stomach.

He ate the last of the bacon and cheesy potatoes and went to the library to continue writing and work in the writing center. His work included proofreading essays and creative writing assignments written by stressed out college students. However it was becoming increasingly hard to have patience for a nineteen year old’s grammar skills when all he could think about was Betty. Her hair, her eyes, the small freckle under her neck. The girl was making his head spin.

“Mr. Jones!” Dilton screeched waving his hand in front of the Jughead’s face. Jughead flinched and as the foreign hand invaded his view.

“Yes, what-what did you want Dilton?”

“My paper? You said you would have your thoughts on it by today.”

“Oh shit, yeah.” He grumbled fumbling with the papers all over his desk. After a moment of searching he found Dilton’s marked paper. Dilton snatched the paper from Jughead as he let out a frustrated sigh.

“You’re supposed to be working and you look like you’re fantasizing about a girl from sports illustrated posing for a wet t-shirt contest!”

Jughead froze as he heard the words being spat in his face. _Well, he wasn’t exactly that far off…_

Jughead fell back into his chair as a furious Dilton Doiley stormed out of the writing center’s glass doors.

Hours passed throughout the day as he marked essays and stared out the library windows. His eyes trailed over the landscape of Washington Square, tracing the trees perched around cement sidewalks. He always ate lunch with Archie at a nearby café during his break. He groaned at the thought of having to act like nothing was wrong in front of the ginger. He grimaced as he made his way through the sea of tables before sitting down in front of the guy.

“Wow, you look awful.” Archie blankly stated as he stared down the disordered man-child growling at his menu.

“Your kindness is touching.” Jughead fired back as he sunk further into his chair. He brought his hand up his forehead as he tried to gain his composure. His friend eyeing him down wasn’t exactly helping him keep his act together.

Archie took in the disgruntled Jughead before him as they made their orders. Jughead just sat there as he played with his glass, twirling his fork against the tablecloth.

“Okay, what the hell happened?”

Jughead’s eyes closed at the question, his eyelashes tightening against his eyelids. He let out a sigh before avoiding the question. Archie really had no business knowing what happened last night and this morning, except the fact that he was their mutual best friend and probably the only person that wouldn’t judge either of them for it.

“I-I, nothing. I’m just not in a good mood.”

“Jughead you’re never in a good mood. This is clearly not just you’re casual disappointed self. You can’t really fool me at this point, remember?”

At the mention of the fact his mind went back to all the times Archie had been the third observer to him and Betty’s mess. Every movie night or date that Archie was pulled into coming to because Betty had something better to do. The glances that Archie would throw at Jughead when Betty would flirt with anyone she fancied came to mind. The silent sympathy that he held for Jughead didn’t go unnoticed. There was no point in hiding anything from Archie; cause there was once a time when they both held the torch for the blonde. And the minute Archie realized the love between the two Archie had backed off, he got over Betty, and now it was ten years later and he still was watching the same old disappointment all over Jughead’s face.

Jughead stayed silent as he caught Archie’s stare.

“You haven’t looked like this,” Archie paused thinking the best way to put his next words. “You haven’t looked this despondent since she told you she decided not to go to NYU with you.”

Jughead cringed at the memory before he caved in and began to talk.

“She-she did something.”

“Okay well Betty does stupid things all the time, being self-destructive is kind of her thing. We know this.”

“She crossed a line and I think she knows that she did and I can already sense her choosing to ignore it, like it never happened.”

“What could she have done in the past twelve hours that would warrant her ‘crossing a line’?” Archie asked using air quotes. Jughead’s eyes met Archie’s as he thought of Betty in his bed last night asking him the words ‘I could help you out, if you want?’ Of course he wanted it, of course he wanted her like that, and she knew. _Why the hell did she do it?_

Archie watched as Jughead’s eyes glazed over and they flicked back to Archie. Archie’s mouth formed an ‘o’ as he understood the possibilities.

“Did you guys, did she try to sleep with you?”

“She couldn’t sleep last night, and she had the whole act down. Yes it’s warranted and yes she really actually hasn’t been able to sleep alone since she was fourteen but goddamn it’s like she likes it when I swoop in. It’s like she wants me to save her and then she gets scared and backs out. And all of a sudden she’s in my bed and she’s enjoying my lack of dignity and self control.” Jughead’s voice became more hoarse as he went on. Trying to make sense of their decisions last night.

“One minute she’s crying and the next she’s fucking got her hand in my boxers.” Jughead said as he let out a sarcastic laugh. _Oh the irony, Jughead Jones was crying about the fact that Betty Cooper gave him a hand job. Fifteen year old Jughead would slap him in the face if he saw this._

Archie let out a laugh at Jughead’s remark. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Wow. U-uhm, well Betty’s always been one hell of a roller coaster, I mean it’s just like _up and down_ with that one.” Archie quipped as he smiled into his glass, trying to hold back until succumbing to a giggle fest. Jughead did a spit take as the words fell from Archie’s mouth. Within seconds they were in hysterics as the other customers grimaced at them. Jughead’s eyes crinkled and a smile appeared as Archie tried to cover his mouth, only making the ginger’s face redden to the color of the tomato soup in front of him.

They quieted down as they both let out a series of softened chuckles and cheeky glances. The waiter brought the check and they paid for their lunch whilst trying not to freak out the entire restaurant.

“Oh man I’m so screwed.”

“Hopefully in the future ay?”

“Stop.”

“I’m sorry it’s just, man, well you guys are more entertaining than cable.”

“Well get ready for the next episode, next up on the lonely hearts of the Riverdale, NY: how awkward will it be at Cheryl’s weekly dinner tonight. Will Betty even attempt eye contact? Who knows?” Jughead said with an incredulous smile holding his hands up in the air before he reached for his wallet for a tip.

“Oh god it’s Friday isn’t it?”

“Yep, you know what that means.” Jughead said as he left the tip for the waiter.

“Do you think Sabrina will show up?”

“Well considering she is part of the friend group and close friends with Cheryl, Kevin, Betty, and I. So yeah, I think there might be a chance she’ll be there like every other Friday she’s been there.”

“We’re both so screwed.”

“Majorly.”

—

Jughead found himself sitting in Cheryl’s vintage yellow leather chair as the group sat around chatting away. Cheryl was getting everyone drinks while Kevin was detailing his latest conquest.

“So I’m at the bar right? And this 21st century Gene Kelly look alike in a pair of golden cowboy boots walks up to me…”

“Jughead what liquor will you be drinking your thoughts away with tonight?” Cheryl asked as she handed Sabrina a martini.

“Irish whiskey.”

“Wow you are such a cliché.” Cheryl stated as she unscrewed the cap on the caramel colored liquid.

“I am not!” Jughead grumbled as he shifted in his chair.

“Oh you so are.” Archie exclaimed as he took another swig of his beer.

“Says the ex high school quarterback with a bottle of beer in his hand.”

“Oh please Jughead you’re just cranky cause you’re second in command isn’t here yet.” Sabrina quipped which resulted in a scowl from Archie.

“Who cares? That is old news. Anyways Gene Kelly starts talking me up saying I look like a regular hunk and all that. You know the casual ‘hey I am very gay let’s fuck’ foreplay. And as I take another drink he fucking pulls me into the bathroom. And I’m just like ‘uhm excuse me, let me at least finish my drink first’. And how does he respond?”

“How does he respond Kevin?” Cheryl said with a fake sense of interest as she handed Jughead his whiskey.

“He fucking says ‘well I can think of a way tastier drink for you’”

“Ow Owwww” Archie howled as the group cheered Kevin on.

The group continued to talk amongst themselves until Cheryl had finished the dinner and Jughead helped set the table. The dinner was going well. Cheryl and Kevin had taken each end of the table and Archie and Sabrina had sat next to each other willingly. Sabrina was opening back up to the Andrew boy slowly, but that didn’t stop her from insulting Archie the whole night. Halfway through Cheryl’s oyster appetizers Betty had stumbled inside in a huff.

“Well look who managed to make an appearance.” Kevin called out as Betty fumbled to get out of her jacket and had taken off the heels she had stole from Veronica that morning. Archie immediately looked to Jughead as he watched the boy’s features change as the blonde started up a conversation with Cheryl in the kitchen.

Jughead’s eyes softened as the girl burst through the front door with remnants of rain on her coat and in her curls. She walked over to Cheryl quickly glancing over to him before her head snapped back as she headed into the kitchen with the redhead. Cheryl fished out a wine glass as Betty apologized for arriving late. Jughead tried his best to overhear their conversation in the distant kitchen as he felt Archie’s eyes glued to him.

“Oh Betty it is a travesty that you’ve missed half of the festivities, but I don’t think I’m the one who has been missing your company the most.” He heard Cheryl joke before they came back to the table. Cheryl set the glass full of white wine in the seat next to Jughead before she walked over to her seat.

Betty’s eyes met his and she felt a wave of warmth wash over her as she took in his face. She sat down as she felt him turn back to his plate before he reached for the platter. He turned to her as he fished out three oysters onto her plate. Betty could see the resistance in his composure. He was upset that she left this morning and it was written all over his face. The blue in his eyes deepened as he sneaked a glace at her, she waited for a smile that didn’t appear. _She really had fucked up last night didn’t she?_ She thought to herself as she returned to the table’s conversation.

The dinner continued as Betty tensed at the proximity of their shoulders. Every time Cheryl would pass down a plate of food his arm would brush against her. Her whole body ached as his touch would come and leave so quickly and he would go back to eating his dinner.

Somewhere between desert and second drinks Betty had grown sickened at how broken he had looked. She had opened a door that she wasn’t ready to walk through and she knew that it had a cost. The way he wouldn’t acknowledge her in conversation and the way his eyes would barely even turn her away made the guilt build up in her chest once again. Water began to fill the rims of her eyes as she witnessed the damage that she had caused. Everything was uncertain and she didn’t have an answer that he wanted. She couldn’t give him what he wanted.

Her hand slipped under the table and her fingers slid over the wood lining of his chair. She waited a second until his right hand had fell in his lap. She had grasped his hand under the tablecloth and weaved her soft fingers into his. Her green eyes fished for a reaction out of him. He looked at her in shock as she ran her thumb over his as she stared into his eyes. She gave him a look filled with guilt and sorrow and her lip quivered slightly as her eyes fell on his lips.

His breath hitched as her eyes became shiny and she held a frown as the others continued in conversation. Her mouth opened slightly only to close after, not saying a word. He winced as he saw her trying to find a way to explain herself. Her mouth closed in a huff and her hand retreated back to her lap.

He watched as she wiped back a tear and reached for another sip of wine.

She gulped down the golden drink and she welcomed the sting it left in her throat. Her tongue tingled as the words swirled around in her head.

_I’m sorry._

_I’m sorry that I can’t be with someone I love._

_I’m sorry I used you like I did with the others._

_I’m sorry I’ve let you love me all this time._

_I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry Juggie._

“Well I need to get home.” Kevin squeaked as he stood up.

“Yeah I need to get home too.” Sabrina finished as she tipped off her last drop of wine.

Archie watched as Sabrina and Kevin rushed out the door as they started to sing Journey while saying their goodbyes to Cheryl. Sabrina glanced at Archie before she shut the door. His head looked back to Betty and Jughead sitting in front of them. Betty was staring at her plate and Jughead was playing with his empty glass of wine. They both looked like they were both just about to break into tears. His eyes softened as Jughead’s eyes met his.

“Do you guys wanna go see a movie? I heard that they’re doing an old school Wonder Woman marathon tonight at the Bijou.” Archie said in a cheery tone trying to break the ice.

Betty turned her head up slightly sending the boys in front of her a little smile.

“I like Wonder Woman.”


	5. Between The Bars

_Drink up baby, look at the stars_  
I'll kiss you again between the bars  
Where I'm seeing you there  
With your hands in the air  
Waiting to finally be caught  
Drink up one more time  
And I'll make you mine  
Keep you apart,  
Deep in my heart  
Separate from the rest.

_Elliott Smith_

_\---_

A few weeks had passed since the incident and Jughead found himself feeling a new emotion towards Betty.

Every smile, touch, every time she would play with her ponytail, every look she gave him would make Jughead’s skin crawl. Every minute they spent together ignoring the situation, every time she would act as if that night in his room never happened, as if the moment they shared at Cheryl’s never happened, anger would settle in his chest.

The things that he used to love about her, the little things that would leave flutters in his stomach had now turned sour. They were tainted with the taste of what he couldn’t have. Now knowing what her touch was like in ways he’d never didn’t before had ignited a fire in him. One that Betty was trying her best but was failing to distinguish.

Each moment felt like a chore and he was loosing his patience. She didn’t tease him anymore and she filled their time doing small favors, silently trying to ease the guilt that still lined her face. She kept apologizing for little mistakes that she would make around the house. It was like she was apologizing for everything except the actual problem at hand.

The change in dynamic didn’t go unnoticed by Archie. Every time he was over it was like he was just there to be a buffer. Jughead would snap at just the littlest things and his body would tense up every time Betty would brush up against him. Every time Betty would laugh Jughead’s eyes would send daggers his way. One time Betty tried to do the dishes and he practically exploded. _Something was very wrong._

Betty began to spend her nights out longer and she started sleeping over at Veronica’s, at Cheryl’s, at Kevin’s, at Sabrina’s, even sometimes she would show up at Archie’s.

The apartment became more of a common meeting place rather than a home to the both of them. Jughead picked up more shifts at Pop’s, ones particularly during the times he knew Betty would be home.

Betty’s thoughts began to become obsessive when it came to Jughead. Every time she would sleep with someone his face would appear. She was on thin ice with Veronica already, but one day enough was enough.

\---

Betty tensed as she felt the nerves in between her legs begin to pulse. Veronica continued as she followed Betty’s moans before it happened.

Just as Betty’s head sunk further into the pillows and her eyes rolled to the back of her head she uttered his name.

“Ju-ghead…”

Veronica stopped in her tracks as she watched the girl let go. Her eyes closed and her hands gripping onto the violet sheets. A tear fell from Veronica’s eyes as she watched the girl before her in a possessed state. Her face changed as her eyelids moved from side to side and her legs quivered.

Betty silenced herself as she had realized what she had just moaned. Her body stilled and her throat closed up as she saw a tear stream down Veronica’s face.

“You know if that’s what you’re here for, then maybe we shouldn’t be doing this anymore. I’m not someone you can just use to fuck away your feelings with.”

Veronica stood up from her spot and threw Betty’s dress in her face.

“Veronica I-“

“Even though this isn’t even anything, I don’t accept being someone’s second choice.”

“Veronica that’s not what, that’s not-“

“Get over yourself Betty and cut the bullshit…God, for once can’t you stop lying to yourself and everyone around you?”

Betty’s eyes froze as her mind went blank and her body went cold.

“That’s what I thought.” Veronica stated as she walked out her door into the bathroom down the hall.

Betty laid there as she stared at the empty door frame, listening to the water run from Veronica’s shower.

The sound of people passing through the streets and cars through New York’s roads filled Betty’s ears as she slipped into her dress. She trotted out of the apartment into the night, finding the closest bar in sight.

_Four hours and 5 tequila shots later:_

“He-ey, hey, hey…Baby, c’mon let’s go home.” Jughead whispered as she cried into his shoulder. He could feel her breath get caught in her throat as she tried to hold back a sob. Her body was shaking and he could smell tequila all over her. He pulled her up to carry her out of the house. He opened the passenger door of his truck with his left hand, pulling the car door ajar with his foot. He placed her carefully in the leather front as he buckled her seat belt.

“Just stay her okay? I’ll be right back. I promise.” He whispered against her cheek as he felt her nod her head under him. He closed the door as he walked back into Archie’s house finding him in the kitchen.

“What happened?”

\---

Betty had showed up to Archie’s about an hour ago stinking of alcohol. Stumbling all over the place forcing Archie catch her before she tripped over the carpet.

“Do-on’t call Jug-gie.” Betty murmured as she lunged for the liquor cabinet.

“Betty what are you-“ Archie began before Betty cut him off. Laughing dryly as her hands trailed over the bottles before finding the vodka.

“You know, my mom called me today! I was expecting a long apology, a cry for forgiveness, maybe even a little groveling. But what does she say? She starts lecturing me about my ‘lifestyle’.” Betty exclaimed rolling her eyes unscrewing the cap on the bottle.

“She just doesn’t wanna call me a slut. But look at me! I am the slut. I’m the biggest fucking slut there is!”

Betty laughed into the bottle as she smiled when the rush of the drink went to her head. Archie frowned at the sight.

“Mommy dearest didn’t think about that when she tried to send me to camp to ‘pray the gay away’. She was a lot happier when she thought she just had to worry about me getting pregnant.” Betty choked out as she held a grin. Her eyes were red and wild. She staggered holding onto the table as she gripped onto the bottle of vodka. Before she could take another shot Archie grabbed the bottle from her, pulling her to the kitchen.

“You’re not any fun!” She protested as she tried to grab the bottle from his grasp. Archie put the bottle away grabbing a glass of water as he eyed her cautiously. His eyes trailed over her face trying to find the Betty he knew. He had seen her drunk like this before but Jug was always there, there to whisk her away. The fact that she wasn’t back at her own doorstep calling on his friend was worrying. _Why was she avoiding Jughead?_ He asked himself.

He handed the glass of water to her as she slid down to the floor.

“Drink this. You’ll thank me in the morning.” He said to her as he stared her down. He knew she would follow his orders if he didn’t break eye contact. Finally she broke, exasperated grabbing the glass from him in a puff glaring at him.

Archie stood up from his crouched position and reached for the phone. He knew that she would hate him if he called Jughead. But he was the only one who knew how to handle this. This Betty. The Betty with mascara running down her face and an empty grin on her face. The Betty with panic in her eyes and limp limbs. She looked like a cautionary tale lying down on his kitchen floor staring blankly in front of him. Her green eyes held nothing in them, like she was somehow not there, not present. It was haunting watching her lie there with her mouth parted sinking into the floor. The girl that was in love with his best friend was breaking before him and there was only one person to call. Archie dialed Jughead’s number and waited until he picked up after eight rings.

“Archie it’s 3 in the morning what the fuck?” Jughead groaned into the phone.

Archie moved away from the kitchen hoping Betty couldn’t hear his words.

“Betty she…she’s here. And it’s bad, really bad. She might be going full _yellow wallpaper_ this time.” Archie paused as he heard a shuffle over the phone and a door click.

\---

Archie walked Jughead back outside to his truck, stopping Jughead before he climbed inside.

“Jughead, we gotta do something.”

“Do what Archie?” Jughead yelled as his eyes trailed over Betty’s passed out state.

“She’s getting worse…she keeps pulling this shit. Getting drunk, going out constantly with people she doesn’t even know. And then as you say, she doesn’t even acknowledge it in the morning. Like it never happens.”

“I’m handling it Archie.” Jughead stated as he folded his arms leaning against the truck.

“Are you? Cause you carry her home and put her to bed just like you did with FP. And it’s not working. She needs help. She needs a professional. Maybe you can’t save her this time.”

“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about Archie. You don’t know her. I know her. And I know that she will be fine. She just is going through a rough patch, that’s all.” Jughead insisted as tears started to well up in his eyes.

“If she’s just going through a rough patch, then why is she showing up at my place instead of her own? Why is she suddenly asking me not to call you?”

Jughead paused as he took in Archie’s words. But no amount of truth could calm him down, he was breaking. The girl he loved was drinking herself to death every night and he had no idea how to cope. It was déjà vu all over again, and a little part of him resented her for it. His gut wrenched and tightly coiled in his stomach as he looked at her, curled up in his truck.

“I-I don’t know. The past couple of weeks, things have changed. I-I don’t know why.” He choked out.

“Look I know that you don’t want to force her into anything, but maybe it’s time. Maybe it’s time to stage some sort of intervention.”

“An intervention? You think Betty Cooper is gonna react well to an intervention?”

“It may be our only option left.” Archie said exasperated as they both gazed upon the sunken blonde. Jughead cried at the thought of telling her that something was wrong with her. He was always the one to reassure her that she was beautiful and kind and smart and that not a damn thing was wrong with her. Nothing at all _._ Was this really his only option left? It seemed like some sort of betrayal.

“Okay, but just give me a week. Let me, I don’t know, figure things out. See if I can get her to snap out of it.”

“Okay.”

Jughead climbed into the truck, falling into the seat. His head fell to the back of the leather and he turned his head to look at her. He lifted his hand up to her face and pulled back a strand of her hair that had fallen in her face. She stirred at his touch as she breathed out in frustration.

A moment passed before tears started to well up in Betty’s eyes again.

“She didn’t even remember that it was his birthday today.”

In that moment Jughead realized that it was Betty’s dad’s birthday and that he had been so wrapped up in his own problems that he had forgotten. It had been eight years since he killed himself. Betty had found him in the garage after he hung himself.

A laugh erupted from Betty’s chest as she shook her head as the tears ran down her face.

“It’s like she didn’t even love him…maybe she never did.”

“Betty…”

“She’s never loved me that’s for sure. At least not the real me.”

Betty began to kick the dash as she started hitting any surface around her. Jughead panicked at the sight, grabbing onto her wrists as she squirmed under him. In her state she couldn’t fight him off for that long, her head fell into his shoulder as she sighed.

“She may not know the real you or understand you. But she loves you.” Jughead waited a beat as she lay in his arms.

“And I love you…you know the _real you._ And even though I haven’t acted like it lately, I do. I always do.”

Jughead ran his fingers through her golden hair as he pulled himself from her grasp to put his keys into the ignition. Betty laid her legs on top of Jughead’s lap as he drove out of Archie’s drive-way. Jughead turned to the intoxicated girl next to him. Her eyes closed with her head leaned up against the window. Her breath slowed and he could see the imprint that her heady breaths left against the frigid car window. The yellow lights above flickered over her, bathing her in light as the rest of the car was hidden in shadow. The illusion was gone as his eyes drank up her soaken state against the passenger cream colored leather.

Betty Cooper was broken, and for the first time, Jughead had realized that maybe he couldn’t fix her.


	6. Meet Me In The Hallway

_Just let me know I'll be at the door, at the door_  
Hoping you'll come around  
Just let me know I'll be on the floor, on the floor  
Maybe we'll work it out  
I gotta get better, gotta get better  
I gotta get better, gotta get better  
I gotta get better, gotta get better  
And maybe we'll work it out

_Harry Stiles_

_\---_

It was a method of disposing of herself. Drinking. Sure the taste of it was nice but that wasn’t why she needed it. She needed it to disappear. All the thoughts running around in her head could be stilled by a shot of tequila. She could forget about the absence of her dad. She could forget about her mother. She could forget about the raven-haired boy and his eyes, his smile, and the disappointment that would line his face, as she would leave again and again. With drinking it all became meaningless. Each moment of terror would fall to the back of her mind and she could giggle in a haze of hooch. It was a moment of bliss in a sea of horror. Blood and pain would reside in a sea of champagne. It is beautiful in a way, how easily a chemical can dispose of the pain, and yet intensifies it when the morning comes.

 

Betty Cooper wasn’t addicted to alcohol. She was addicted to feeling nothing.

 

\---

 

Betty’s eyes opened and saw the lining of the inside of Jughead’s truck around her. Her eyes opened further and she realized it was morning. She shifted on the leather as she saw Jughead’s gaze on her. He leaned into her and handed her some ibuprofen and a water bottle.

 

Betty tossed the pills to the back of her throat and chugged the water as her eyes winced at the sunlight coming through the truck’s windows. She gained full consciousness as she stared back at Jughead. Her head turned to see where they were. They were in a parking lot outside of a building foreign to her. She could hardly remember the details of last night’s events but the look of the boy’s face made her feel uneasy.

 

“Jughead, where are we?”

 

“We are at one of New York’s finest rehabilitation centers, the Hazelden Betty Ford house.”

 

Betty’s chest closed up as the words flew out of Jughead’s mouth. Her eyes scrunched up as she bent down between her legs and held her hands around her neck, pulling herself into a ball.

 

_This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening._

She felt like she was going to be sick.

 

Water began to collect in Jughead’s eyes as he saw her in panic. Her eyes blown in shock following, her pushing herself away from him and under her hands.

 

“I can’t make you go in, you have to make that decision for yourself.”

 

Betty didn’t respond as she unfolded and stared out in front of her as her eyes lightened and emptied themselves. She didn’t look at him. And god, it fucking hurt to see her switch gears in front of him and close up, pulling down the curtain, shutting off the connection. Her face-hardened and she sat there vacuous and fixed, it was like she wasn’t _his Betty_ anymore. The rage that outlined her eyes made a shiver go down his spine.

 

A wave of anger crossed over her. The blood surrounding her bones boiled and it as though she was about to explode.

 

“But I…I’ve watched you stumble into my arms at four in the morning and listened to you tell me that you love me with alcohol on your breath too many times to take it anymore. I’m tired of it. And frankly I think you’re tired of it too.”

 

“You have no right.” Was all Betty could muster as she shook her head in disbelief.

 

“I have no right? The person who’s been there for you every time you’ve fell! Every time you’ve cried. Every time you couldn’t fall asleep. I have been picking you off the bathroom floor for five years, watching you drink yourself to death. Watching you fuck every single being who shows you just a smudge of adoration just so you can feel _that rush_!”

 

He began as he showed a look of annoyance at the phrase. The intention of the line stung. But it was the truth and he was tired of lying.

 

“I have been watching you pull this shit so many times and I can’t take it anymore. I’ve already done this. I know how this ends. You think I don’t have a Dad because of bad luck Betty? No. He’s a fucking alcoholic and I’m sure as hell not going to do this again. I have a right to want more than this.”

 

Jughead yelled the words as something unhinged, this was the first time Jughead had ever yelled at her like this, like he meant it.

 

He watched as the green around her pupils darkened and her lip parted in shock.

 

“I don’t… It was never my intention to make you feel like you have to take care of me, like that.”

 

“Yeah well I never thought that I’d be doing this all over again, especially with you.”

 

They sat in silence as they watched the clouds clear and the sun beat down on the truck. Betty took a deep breath before she turned to him and perched her legs up on the seat in front of him.

 

“I didn’t think anything of it at the time. I didn’t think about what it would mean for you. I didn’t think at all. You were just there, and I excited you. And something inside of me just wanted to take advantage of that…I wanted to do that to you. I didn’t realize how much of a mistake it was until at Cheryl’s that night.”

 

“You think it was a mistake?” Jughead’s voice croaked as he asked the question.

Betty’s eyes softened as she saw a sadness wash over his expression.

 

“I think that it wasn’t right for me to do that when I wasn’t and still am not ready for anything like that. I’m not used to being with someone who I…who I love. I don’t think I’ve ever connected the two, sex has never been about that for me.”

 

“What has it been about then?”

 

“Are you asking why I sleep with people like Veronica, Reggie, anyone really, and not you?”

 

“Maybe yeah. It hasn’t exactly been easy seeing and hearing about it all the time.”

 

“I didn’t know it bothered you so much.”

 

“I didn’t know why it was everyone but me.”

 

Betty took in his words, finally connecting all the clues. A lot of it made sense now.

 

“That’s because after I did that with you things changed just like I knew it would. That’s why it was never you, because after that night, my mind had that image of you. Once the image was there, I couldn’t erase it. And I tried to go back to what I normally do and then I said your name when I was…when I was with Veronica. It was weak and pathetic and no matter how much I tried I was imagining you. She didn’t deserve that and you don’t deserve that either.”

 

He took in her words trying to understand. She was afraid about being with him because she was worried she would want it too much. He couldn’t comprehend it. The sound of her moaning his name entered his mind, repeating over and over again. He wished it were he hearing the lovely sound.

 

“So, am I taking you in today or are we driving off?”

 

“I know that I need to go in there. I will. It’s just I need to spend some time with you; we haven’t really been together the past few weeks. I know that’s my fault but I just want to be alone with you, for a little while longer. Before I essentially enter the beast.”

 

Jughead smiled at that. A glint appeared in Betty’s eyes, they were themselves again. And it felt like home.

 

Jughead put his keys into the ignition and turned out of the parking lot.

 

“Where to?”

 

“I don’t know what do normal people do in the mornings?” Betty chuckled as she asked the question.

 

“I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of this thing, it’s called ‘breakfast’. Ever heard of it before?” A smirk widened on Jughead as he continued down the road.

 

Betty rolled her yes as her hands ran through her hair. She could feel the dirt and grime in her curls and her nose caught the reek of alcohol all over her.

 

“Actually, maybe can we go home and shower first?”

 

Betty asked absentmindedly until the words had already left her mouth and she realized that maybe that wasn’t the best way to phrase it. Eyes wide and full of embarrassment Betty turned away to sit straight as she saw his eyebrow arch in the corner of her eye.

 

Red began to color her skin as a blush ran from her chest to her cheeks. Jughead smiled to himself as he saw the opportunity right in front of him.

 

“Are you getting flustered Cooper?” Jughead’s smile only widened more as she grew more mortified.

 

“This is _so_ weird.”

 

Betty Cooper, without a doubt, was not used to Jughead knowing she wanted to have sex with him. And that he wanted her to.

 

“Definitely.”


	7. Soon, My Friend

_I'll be yours someday_  
I'll be yours someday  
I'll be yours someday  
I'll be yours someday  
I'll be yours someday  
I'll be yours someday  
Someday  
Someday  
Someday  
Someday

_Soon, My Friend | M83_

 

\---

 

“Definitely.”

 

Jughead turned to Betty. He had a smile creeping up on his face as the sunlight fell over his face as they headed home. A warmth spread through her shoulders, seeping into her skin and travelling all the way down to her toes. She was nervous and excited and fucking terrified. But in that moment as Jughead took a left down to Brooklyn for their apartment and she watched as his hands cut the wheel, and she realized she was happy. She was happy for the first time in awhile.

 

They reached their apartment and Betty waited behind him as he shook the keys into the lock before hearing the click.

 

“I just need to clean up and then we could get some food?”

 

“I actually have a shift at Pop’s but we can still go. You can watch me and my amazing serving skills.”

 

“As much as I would love to see that, maybe I’ll call Archie. See if he hasn’t disowned me yet.” Betty joked as she bit her lip between her teeth.

 

“Archie can’t stay mad at you, he’s just worried about you.”

 

“Archie can’t stay mad at anyone.”

 

“Yeah, he’s such a dork isn’t he?”

 

“Totally.”

 

Betty walked to the bathroom but before she could close the door, Jughead was in the doorway. A smirk spread all over his face with his arm leaning into the side of the doorframe.

 

“You know, we should give Archie more credit. I mean he is rooting for _us.”_

Jughead quirked his eyebrow at the blonde as she turned on the shower. Betty rolled her eyes as she watched him mock her for her slip up earlier in the truck. _Why did he have to be so good it though?_ She asked herself as her eyes raked over the boy in the doorway.

 

“Deciding whether or not you want me to join you? I mean yes, we do have another shower, but you know it’s not fair that you get to use up all the hot water first. I mean, that’s not any way how to repay me for my many wonderful qualities.”

 

Jughead read off his speech as he used hand gestures and his eyes lit up. Betty giggled as she walked over to the door grabbing onto the doorknob.

 

“You know I think you can handle the cold water. I mean just from common sense, I’m guessing you’ve had to take a couple cold showers in your life.”

 

Jughead’s jaw dropped a little as he had a face of fake betrayal watching her as she closed the door on him.

 

_Why is she always winning our battles and why does it always end with her escaping it by taking a shower?_

 

\---

 

“Wow I’m sorry to hear that Arch.”

 

“It’s okay, I think we had been trying so long to keep our relationship together that I think we forgot the reasons why we were even in it. I love her. But I don’t think we’re in love with each other anymore.”

 

Archie finished his drink as he watched Jughead taking orders from an old couple down the aisle behind him. When he turned his head back to Betty he saw her looking in the same direction. Her eyes were bright and her lower lip was hiding under her front teeth.

 

“Someone looks hungry.” Archie teased as Betty jerked out of her drooling session.

 

“Ye-aah a, uhm I was thinking about getting pancakes.”

 

“Yeah mhhhm that’s what you were thinking about eating.” Archie slowly brought the menu up, failing at hiding the grin on his face.

 

Betty’s eyes narrowed as her cheeks flushed at the insinuation.

 

“Shuuut uuuppp.” Betty sang in a whisper as she pretended to read over her menu, slowly flipping the laminated pages.

 

“Fine. So can I ask about what happened last night? I’m sorry I called Jughead but you-“

 

“Archie, I’m not mad.”

 

Archie let out a sigh in relief.

 

“In fact, even though I hate that this is where I am now. I think calling Jug was the best thing that you could have done for me in that situation.”

 

“How are you doing? Did you and him talk when you got home? In fact why are you up this early? I mean I don’t pass down any time to hang out with my favorite blonde for breakfast but I thought you would still be downing advils at this hour.”

 

That made Betty laugh.

 

“Well he didn’t take me home actually.”

 

Archie sent a humorous look her way. Eyebrows raised and confusion written all over his face.

 

“I’m not exactly sure where he drove around for the four hours in-between, but I woke up in the parking lot of a rehabilitation center on West Broadway.”

 

Archie was shocked by the news. He couldn’t help but to think the words _Wow, Jughead actually listened to me for once._

 

“So you guys talked then.”

 

“Oh yeah, we talked.” Betty rolled her yes as she exaggerated the previous line.

“But I think for the first time in awhile we’re not lying to each other. He needed to yell at me, it was about time. It wasn’t good for any of us ignoring the situation and I think if he didn’t I would have started to drag him down with me.” Betty’s eyes softened as she gazed at Jughead running over to the counter to give Pop the table’s order he had just taken.

 

Archie noticed a little sadness in her look, she was definitely afraid of hurting him he realized.

 

“I wouldn’t have let that happen. I would have kicked your ass before you took my beanie boy away from me.” Archie joked as his voice got higher by the end of his threat.

 

“I’m sorry did you just say beanie boy?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Oh my god you guys seriously need to get a room.”

 

“Uhm I think that’s your job.”

 

“What’s your job?”

 

Betty jumped as Jughead appeared at the end of the table with his pad and pen in hand. A little strand was falling over his face and his grin widened as he turned to her. _God, the apron looked good on him_ she thought to herself.

 

“Uh-uhhh…”

 

“Betty was just talking about how she was thinking of taking the week off.”

Archie interjected while receiving a panicked look from the blonde. _What. The. Hell._

 

“Really?” Jughead said in a soft tone as his voice lined with hope. Her chest warmed at the glimmer in Jughead’s eyes as he asked the question. _Oh, fuck it._

“Well yeah, I thought, I thought maybe we could go on that road trip down to California that you’ve always wanted to do. But, but you’re probably busy and have work and responsibilities and don’t want to-“

“I’m there. Count me in, Betts.” Her heart fell to her stomach. “But we’re taking the truck. No buts!”

 

“But the Camaro! It’s California! Juggie!” Archie shrieked as the girl whined the nickname and he observed the pair bickering in front of him.

 

“You can’t drive across the country in that. And there’s no legroom. Betts the truck is the best option.”

 

“But what’s the point of having a convertible if I don’t even use it when this opportunity appears?”

 

“You’re seriously saying that you’d seriously spend 50 hours cramped up in that car just for the sake of preserving you’re aesthetic?”

 

“Ye-“

 

“Betty, Jughead’s right. Trust me, you want _all the room you can get_ for that drive.” Archie wiggled his eyebrows as he said the words ‘all the room you can get’. The top of Betty’s ears reddened and suddenly Jughead felt nervous. Archie was getting way too much out of witnessing this. _Way too much._

 

An awkward silence filled the table until Jughead asked their orders.

 

“I’ll have some eggs and sausage please, and a slice of that chocolate cake.”

 

“Chocolate cake at 8:00 am Archie? Really?”

 

“What? Can’t a guy enjoy some chocolate cake? Gosh you can be so judgmental sometimes _Jug-gie_.” Archie said as he faked being sad and held the most ridiculous pout Betty had ever seen.

 

“How am I still friends with you guys?”

 

“Cauuuse you love us.” Both Jughead and Archie said in unison. Betty was thoroughly not amused by the sight.

 

“I think you guys have mistaken adoration for pure aversion.”

 

“Whatever, Elizabeth. Didn’t you say you wanted pancakes earlier hmmm?”

_Archibald why must you be like this?_ Betty asked herself as her face fell into her hands.

 

“What’s wrong with her?” Jughead asked innocently.

 

“Oh she just _really_ wants some pancakes.”

 

“All righty then.”


	8. My Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty and Archie talk a little about road trips, California, trekking, and sex:

_I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day._  
When it’s cold outside I’ve got the month of May.  
I guess you’d say  
What can make me feel this way?  
My girl, my girl, my girl  
Talkin’ ‘bout my girl 

_The Temptations_

—

“A road trip huh?” A smile slowly crept up on Archie’s face as he watched the blonde, defeated, in a fetal position in the booth.

Betty flushed at the question. It was always a dream of theirs. California. Jughead had never seen the Ocean and Betty wanted to be the one with him the first time. There were a lot of things that Betty wished she did with Jughead for the first time.

“Yeah.” Betty’s eyes softened and the knots in her chest remaining from this morning started to slowly unravel.

“What happens after the road trip?”

“I uh, uh I guess I go.” Betty couldn’t say rehabilitation, or therapy, or god forbid alcoholic’s anonymous. _This wasn’t how it was supposed to be._

“You don’t seem particularly convinced to the idea of getting some help.”

“That’s cause I don’t exactly want to Archie.”

“Then why are you doing it, most problems like this don’t go away if you don’t think they’re a problem in the first place. Why are you doing it?”

Archie’s question hung in the air and he watched as Betty’s eyes fell on the boy behind the counter serving milkshakes with a pencil tucked between his raven locks and his right ear.

“Him.” Betty breathed out.

“I guess I already knew that.”

“I have to be better. I have to be better for him.”

“You shouldn’t put that on yourself.”

“I think we’re way past that Arch.”

Betty played with the hem of her sweater as her eyes became glassy and the knots began to tighten again. Archie decided this was the moment he was supposed to lighten things up a bit.

“So what are the big plans for the trip? I wanna hear all of it.”

Betty’s smile appeared and Archie gave her a reassuring look. He was trying to say that things were going to get better.

“Well, the plan has always been to spend the night camping out at the beach for a night. Juggie’s never seen the ocean.”

Betty’s eyes lightened as she spoke. Thinking about Jughead seeing it for the first time. Thinking about falling asleep to the sound of the waves of next to him. Suddenly she was thinking about kissing him at the water. It was a new feeling. Sweet and hopeful and warm. Just like Jughead.

“Never seen the ocean?” Archie held a smirk as he saw Betty’s mood change and her body relax. _She’s calling him Juggie again_ he warmed at the thought.

“I know! FP never took him and neither did Gladys. It’s always been a thing.”

“A thing?” Archie egged.

“Mhm I promised he’d get to see it as long as I was the one with him.”

“So you guys are gonna be all alone for a week. Tell me Cooper, what do you plan on doing the rest of the week? Surely you have anterior motives.”

“Why do I get the feeling that I’m going to regret being friends with you.”

“I think you guys should go trekking.”

“What the fuck is trekking?”

“You know. Just run around and explore. Break into a public pool. Sleep under the stars in a parking lot. Maybe Even sleep togeth-“

“ARCHIE.”

Betty’s eyes popped out of her head and her face turned the shade of a tomato. Her fist hit the table and it was clear Archie hit the sweet spot.

“So you have been thinking about it.” Archie pointed at Betty before falling back into the booth with a smug smile spreading across his cheeks.

Betty didn’t answer.

“I knew it! Oh my god it’s happening. It’s really happening.” Archie started to squirm in his seat. He was hyperventilating. Betty was flushed. And Jughead was very confused by the sight as he sneaked another peep at Betty.

“I’m not emotionally prepared. My feelings.”

“You’re not emotionally prepared? I’m not even sure if I even have emotions.”

“Oh you have _emotions_.” Archie stated as he wiggled his eyebrows.

“Don’t make me kill you.”

“Oh but then who would give you tips.”

“Tips?”

“As someone who lived with the guy and has been privy to his _emotions._ I sincerely think I could help you out.”

“Oh I think I can handle it.” Betty laughed as she cheekily watched Jughead wipe down the counter. 

“Oh yes you do a lot of hand-ling, don’t you Betty?”

Betty stopped in her tracks as he alluded to the _incident_ and the _handling it._

“How. Do. You. Know. About. That?”

“Like I said, I’m privy to the boy’s emotions.” Archie’s smile grew wider. 

“Oh geez.”

“You know, once it happens, you’re never going to be free anymore. That boy is so pent up he may just never stop. I mean not that you’d want him too.”

“Who are you what have you done with Archie Andrews.”

“Who’s Archie?”

“Fuck me.” Betty groaned as Jughead had been walking up to their table with the food.

“Bro code frowns upon that sort of thing Betty. I’m sorry to disappoint.”

“You’re such a wet sponge.”

“Oh  I’m quite wet.”

“Juggie please help me. Someone has taken hostage of Archie and replaced him with this sex maniac. It’s a tragedy. What are we going to do?”

Jughead’s body softened as Betty spoke with her eyes wild and her squirming under Archie’s gaze. He gave a face of fake shock and sharply turned over to Archie clutching his chest in fake offense.

“Archie I never would have guessed. Bro, how could you do this to me? This is not Mr. Steal Your Girl.”

“Your girl?” Archie asked as he saw Jughead panic a little bit on his feet. Betty waited in anticipation with her teeth gnawing on her lip.

But then Jughead smiled. 

“Yeah, my girl.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated! xxxx


	9. Can't Help Falling In Love

_Wise men say only fools rush in  
But I can’t help falling in love with you_

_Shall I stay?_  
Would it be a sin  
If I can’t help falling in love with you?

_Elvis Presley_

_—_

 Jughead heard the door in the apartment click behind him as Betty followed him into their apartment. He leaned up against the counter, eyeing Betty as she shuffled her shoes off and hesitantly stood against the wall opposite him.

 “You and Archie looked like you had a good time.” He chuckled as his mind traveled back to Betty squirming in her seat at the red leather booth.

 “I’m going to kill that guy.”

Jughead smiled and pushed his back off the counter, slowly walking towards her.

“Now we talked about this Betts, homicidal tendencies are ones to be suppressed. Greatly.”

He smirked as he pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. He suddenly noticed how close he had gotten and Betty’s breathe hitched and she looked back at up at him through her eyelashes.

“I know its just Archie is such a meddler I swear to god.” She laughed to herself as she wondered what had gotten into him recently.

“He’s just excited and he’s trying to distract himself from Sabrina. Let him have this one. Plus, I like it when you blush.”

“I’ve been doing that a lot recently.”

“I’ve noticed.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Jughead’s eyes traveled down to her lips and for a second he thought he could do it. But it was too soon.

He stepped back and held onto her hands, bringing her forward.

“So when, are you taking be to the beach?” He asked.

“When are you free?”

“I cleared out my schedule for the whole week.”

Betty’s mouth fell open for a moment.

“Juggie…”

“Don’t Juggie me, you said we’re going on a road trip. Don’t tell me you’re backing out now?”

Betty’s lips quirked and she let go of his hands.

“Well then, I better start packing. Cause if that’s the case than we may as well just leave now.”

Betty wandered into her bedroom with her heart in her lungs.

_He cleared out his whole schedule for me?_

—

Jughead stood there on their cheap linoleum floor staring down the hallway.

He was going to be with Betty alone, for an entire week.

And he was scared shitless.

Eventually he pulled himself out of this sudden new state of psychosis and headed towards his room to pack. Meanwhile Betty found herself tearing apart her closet. What was one supposed to wear to an impromptu road trip with you’re best friend who coincidentally has just been happening to be pining for you since the third grade?

It was the summer so shorts and crop tops were the obvious necessities. They were going to the beach so she definitely needed a swimsuit. _Or did she?_ _The question coupled with Archie’s annoying voice popped into her head._

_Oh my god shut up you need a swimsuit don’t be ridiculous Betty._

She then packed up her toiletries.

There was just one area of clothing that she was procrastinating to pack.

Underwear. Panties. Bras. Bloomers. Whatever.

Betty stood there motionless in front of her top drawer.

Archie’s words started to enter her mind again and before she knew it she was packing lace.

She pulled out her favorite bra and tried not to think too much about it.

The “it” was already filling up her mind. She was starting to notice things less objectively and more personally.

Jughead wasn’t just attractive anymore. He was hot. And she didn’t exactly know how to cope with this new occurrence.

“You ready?”

Jughead leaned into her doorway as he watched her jump at his voice.

“Woah there, someone’s a little jumpy?”

Betty smiled sheepishly as she turned to zip up her bag.

“I just- , I don’t know I was just in my own world.”

“You alright?”

“Yeah yeah, I guess I’m just a little nervous. I always get nervous while traveling, you know.”

Jughead lifted her bag over his shoulder and grabbed her hand. He pulled her out of the apartment with a smile and opened up the passenger door.

“I’m nervous too.”

Betty did a double take as she climbed in and tried to understand what he was getting at. His hands grasped unto the frame of the passenger side. He looked the other way, trying to avoid her gaze.

“I don’t know what you want. What you want from this trip I mean.”

“We‘re going to see the ocean, like we always planned.”

“Yeah that’s not what I really mean.”

_Oh._

Betty began to stumble _  
_

“I don’t know. I just know that you’re really the only person I want to be with right now. I just want to be with just you.”

“Okay.”

Jughead closed the door and walked to the driver side. He then pulled up his phone going to his music.

Betty watched as he typed into the search engine: fireflie-

“No no no no Jughead no.”

“Jughead yes.”

“Oh no.”

Owl City’s _Fireflies_ proceeded to start playing as Jughead sang along in the most annoying voice he could conjure.

_You would not believe your eyes_  
If ten million fireflies  
Lit up the world as I fell asleep

_‘Cause they fill the open air  
And leave teardrops everywhere  
You’d think me rude but I would just stand and stare_

Betty pouted as she watched Jughead with an incredulous smile on his face. The chorus began.

“I hate you.”

“I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly, It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep!”

Jughead put let the clutch go and pulled out of the garage.

“I can’t believe myself.” Betty exasperated.

“A foxtrot above my head, A sock hop beneath my bed.”

“How am I attracted to you?”

“Cause you think I’m pretty.”

“I do not!”

“Archie says otherwise.”

 —

They both smiled at each other for a second before Jughead turned left. The sky was filled with hues of rose, orange, and lavender and the sun reflected upon the mint finish of the old Chevrolet. Dancing Queen started to play. 

“Seriously?”

“I thought it was appropriate.”

Betty shook her head at his offense and rolled down the window.

“DANCING QUEEN, FEEL THE BEET OF THE TABOURINE! OOOHHHH YEAH.”

Jughead had then proceeded to try his best attempt at dancing in the driver’s seat while still holding some control of the vehicle.

Betty smiled as they passed the entrance onto the highway.

“Jughead?” 

“Yes, Betty?”

“You just passed the I-40.”

“Shit.”

“Yes, your road trip playlist is shit, yes I agree.” 

“You are one cruel woman Betty Cooper.”

It took Jughead another thirty minutes to get onto the highway.


	10. Fast Car

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First hours of the roadtrip. Jughead and Betty get more close. Archie realizes things.

_You got a fast car_  
Is it fast enough so you can fly away?  
You gotta make a decision  
Leave tonight or live and die this way 

_Fast car – Tracy Chapman_

—

As they grew farther away from New York Betty and Jughead felt as though they had finally got back in sync. Betty would watch out the car window with her feet upon the dash as they discussed _The Shining_ in detail and whether John Lennon is actually dead. Jughead had this incredibly extensive thought out theory that he was actually the zodiac killer. Betty did not find this amusing given that he was one of her favorite artists.

**Hour 5**

“There’s no way.”

“Not even a little part of you thinks that he could be out there?”

“No Jughead, I do not think that John Lennon is still alive and has been murdering people out in the country for decades!”

“Oh but c’mon, don’t you see a little resemblance?”

“Nuh uh.”

“You sure about that? Like what has Yoko been doing all these years? Hmmmmm?”

“You know what I think Juggie?”

_Juggie._

The nickname left an ache in his chest. It bloomed and settled over his heart as he looked back on the road. The name left him breathless as he warmed at the thought of her calling him that again.

“What do you think Betty?”

“I call you’re bullshit. You just want me to think that John’s the murderer when all along it’s been you. You!” Betty proclaimed with a feigned look as she pointed at him.

“Me?” Jughead yelled in disbelief.

“Yes you! This is your entire foiled out plan, you’ve already got me trapped in your car. I may as well just jump out of this truck right now.” Betty began to unbuckle her seatbelt.

“I am in grave danger! This man is trying to kill me!” Betty yelled out the window.

“Betty! We’re on the highway!”

Betty began to crawl out the sliding window behind their heads into the bed of the truck.

“You’ll never take me alive Jughead Jones!”

“Betty that phrase doesn’t even apply to the point you’re trying to prove!”

“Shut up! We’re having a moment!”

At this the whites of Jughead’s eyes brightened and an incredulous smile fell upon his face.

“A moment huh?”

“Don’t you get smart with me.”

Cars around them started to honk around their truck, which was going at a rate of 25 in a 65 speed limit. Car after car passed them and Jughead had proceeded to receive many middle fingers.

“Betty please get back in your seat!”

“And if I don’t?”

“You know then I’m just gonna have to turn off the tap.” Jughead exasperated.

“The tap?”

“Yes, no sex for you ma’am.” 

“Sir. Sir. SIR.” Betty continued, as with each ‘sir’ her voice got more aggressive. A wide smile spread across both their faces.

Betty crawled back into her seat.

“You know this is really rude of you sir.”

“Ma’am there’s nothing I can do for you. I certainly can’t have sex with a dangerous maniac who jumps into beds of trucks!”

“ _Sir_ , this is really rude.”

Both were fighting back hysterics as they continued to fight on. Jughead’s face grew redder by every time Betty would purposefully yell ‘sir’.

“I know it is very rude of me, my sincerest apologies _ma’am.”_

“You should be, _sir_.”

They both snickered as Jughead sped the car up.

**Hour 12**

“Did Archie tell you about Sabrina?”

“Yeah, god I feel awful. We shouldn’t have left him all alone in New York after the break up becoming official.”

Betty’s eyes widened as she raked her hands through her hair as the guilt set over her. Archie was always there for her when she was heartbroken and she selfishly ran out of town.

“Don’t feel bad.”

“How can you say that?”

“Well A, he did practically invite me on this trip for you. And B, I talked to him and I don’t actually think he’s that upset. I sincerely think he’s going to be okay.”

Jughead’s free hand reached over and tightened his hand around her thigh. Blood rushed to Betty’s cheeks as she felt his hand linger until settling higher upon her thigh. Her eyes floated up to the man across from the steering wheel. His jaw tensed and he let out a heavy breath. She rested her hand over his and traced over his fingers. His shoulders relaxed at the action and his chest warmed as he focused on the feeling.

“Why do you think that Archie’s not upset.”

“It was weird. He was weird. He said something about loving her but he’s not sure if he really wanted her or loved her in that way? He said that he thinks he is realizing something.”

“Realizing what?”

Jughead hesitated. His mind wandered back to the conversation Jughead had had with Archie before Betty arrived at the diner.

—

“I think there’s a reason why I’m never upset when I break up with girls.”

“Oh really, see I just thought it was because you’re such a _Casanova._ ” Jughead said as he winked at Archie as he finished his line.

“Jug.”

“Alright, alright, okay yeah I do admit that I’ve always thought it was a little strange on how you went through girl after girl and never getting too upset about it.”

“I think it’s also the same weird reason for why I found it so easy to give up on me and Betty back when we were kids.” 

“Yeah, I never quite understood why you ever had the strength to give up on Betty Cooper.”

“This is coming from the boy who spent fifteen years pining before getting anywhere.”

“Hey, hey, no need to hurt my feelings.”

“Sorry, but are you kidding? The look you had on your face at the 6th grade spring fling? There’s no way I was going to get in the way of that.” A sweet smile spread upon Archie’s face as he thought back to the couple head over heels at such a young age.

Jughead had never thought about it, how Archie had always known it before even he knew it. Archie knew Jughead was in love with Betty Cooper before Jughead could even imagine it.

“Thank god, cause I don’t know what sixteen year old me would have done if I had to compete with the one and only crew cut babe of Riverdale: Archibald Andrews.”

“Shut up.”

“So what are you saying anyway?”

“I don’t think that…”

“What Archie?”

“Never mind, it’s stupid.”

“Archie.”

“With Betty, is it always so physical? Like what’s it like to want someone? Are you always thinking about her in bed or-“

“Wo-oah stop there big boy.”

“I’m serious.”

“Well yeah for awhile it’s been like that. It’s kind of hard not to think about it. Everything physical feels so, so needy. Like I’m way too invested in her or something.” 

“I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a girl that way. I feel like I was just doing it cause it seemed like the thing you’re supposed to do.”

“That surprises me.”

“It’s been surprising me too. God I think I know why but I’m just not…”

“Not entirely ready to face the idea of it?”

Archie looked up to Jughead as he watched him with an understanding. Archie noticed how the blue in his eyes lightened as he stared back at him. Archie’s eyes raked over Jughead’s face until reaching his lips. Archie quickly looked away and began to scratch the back of his head.

“Yeah.”

“Maybe you should talk to Betty about it. She needs to not be the center of inner turmoil gossip for a bit.”

“Maybe. Just don’t-“

“Yeah.”

—

“Juggie?”

“I don’t think Archie doesn’t really know quite yet what he’s realizing. I think what he said to me was only meant for me to hear. Something about it felt very private. I’m not sure if I should go on.”

“Oh, okay. Just promise me he isn’t thinking of becoming a prostitute.”

“OH MY GOD Betty No!”

Betty erupted into a fit of laughter as Jughead’s mouth held wide open at the absurd and risqué idea.

 “God! What is wrong with you?”

“Well, there are many things, one of them being this boy with a weird hat keeps making me say weird things.”

“Weird things huh?” Jughead led a smirk as Betty lowered further into her seat as she caught his eye.

“Oh gosh, don’t you dare.”


	11. Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby

Whispered something in your ear  
It was a perverted thing to say  
But I said it anyway  
Made you smile and look away

Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby // Cigarettes After Sex

Hour 14

Quickly the sky faded as they passed through Indiana into Illinois and found themselves in Chicago at 2 am. The doors of the truck began to cool and darkness of the sky filled the windows. The scene left Betty calm and content as she leaned her head against the window. The vastness of black made her mind slow down and let her for once focus on her surroundings. The headlights would follow the objects in close distance and trace over the road lines. There was something about nighttime that made Betty happy. Streetlights reflected on the paint of the old mint pickup truck and the winds cooled her eyes as she let down the window. She laid her head out into the air listening to the rush of the tires against the concrete road.

Jughead felt the weight of his eyelids even more the minute. Betty noticed his sluggishness and wondered if she should drive, knowing that he would refuse anyway.

“Juggie, it’s 2 am.”

“Yeah, maybe we should look for a motel.”

Betty pulled out her phone and searched for the nearest motel finding one just a few minutes away. Betty directed Jughead before they finally pulled up in the parking lot.

Jughead let out an exhausted breath and fell into his seat as he pulled the key out of the ignition. The lights in the truck dimmed and Betty moved over until one of her legs snaked on top of his. She laid her head against his and pulled one his dark strands of hair from his face –twisting it around her pointer finger.

“You know you didn’t have to drive the whole time. I could have taken a shift, let you rest.”

Jughead’s eyes fluttered at her touch. Her fingers traced his hairline following the curve of his jaw only to come back up and brush over his eyebrow.

“Betts…”

“Yes?” Betty smiled through the question with her mouth parted open and her eyes gleaming.

“I always drive.”

“Yeah but what’s the fun in that if you’re always tired during the trip? There’s not a lot I can do with you when you’re practically falling asleep.” Betty egged on as her eyes for a moment held desire. It sent a chill down his spine.

“You’re killing me here.”

“C’mon. Let’s go get a room.” Betty said as she pulled herself up. She reached for her door and looked back at Jughead. His eyebrows were raised in response.

Betty grumbled as he clicked open the door.

“Why do you always have to make everything dirty?”

Jughead smirked at that.

“Cause I know you.”

Betty pouted and scrunched up her nose.

“Oh don’t fret Betty, it’s only going to get dirtier.”

Betty squinted her eyes as she skeptically eyed the raven-haired boy as he grabbed their bags.

“Why do I get the feeling that I have no idea what I signed up for?”

“Cause you don’t.” He uttered with a wink.

Betty watched him walk away towards the motel entrance.

And she asked herself: Since when did he get so hot?

—

Jughead had managed to convince the manager of the motel to let them book a room for the night. It was sixty bucks and there was only bed and the bathroom wasn’t the best but they were only staying to sleep. As soon as Jughead got through the door with their bags he swan dived onto the bed in a huff.

“Sleepy?”

“Mhhmmmm”

Betty giggled as she opened up their bags. She unzipped his duffel looking for his toothbrush and paste. After sifting through Jughead’s clothes she found them. She grabbed them and walked over to the bed and sat on the bed beside his head with her knees tucked under her. She smoothed down his curls on the back of his head and ran her hand along his shoulder blades through his shirt. Her nails slightly brushed against his bone causing him to let out a growl and moan as she continued.

“You gotta brush your teeth Juggie.” She whispered softly in a voice that made a wave of heat run down his body.

“Mhmmmmm”

Betty giggled and tried to shove him slightly so his face would face her.

“Juggie!”

“Mhmmmmm”

“Ugh you are the worst. Now come one and get off your ass and brush your teeth like an adult!”

A smile spread over his face as the frustration in her voice grew and he turned to her to see her eyes wide and a pout that sent shivers down his spine. He caught her eyes and slowly took her in. His eyes trailed over her body before returning up to her eyes. He tucked his bottom lip under his teeth as he watched her blush heighten and spread to the tops of her ears popping out with her ponytail loosening slightly so that her waves fell down her neck.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you love me.”

Jughead frowned as he grabbed his toothbrush and paste from her hands. But then a slow smile spread over his face and as he got up to go the bathroom he turned to her and uttered the words:

“Oh but I do, Betty Cooper.”

—

“Remember that night when I…When I…” Betty felt her cheeks redden as she tried to say the words and wondering why all of a sudden she found it hard now.

Jughead watched as the girl flustered while sitting crisscrossed on top of mattress across from him with the cards in her hand. She looked down at the deck with her mouth parted open, speechless; she scrambled to find the words. As he realized why she was being so evasive his lip began to curl up and the more he smiled at her embarrassment, the redder Betty grew.

“When you helped me out? So to speak.” Jughead’s smile grew wider.

“Yeah.”

“What about it Betts?” Jughead said innocently as he egged her on. He was definitely going to hell he thought. 

Betty rolled her eyes and sighed as her face fell in her hands. She began to get up and collect the cards as she chickened out.

“Never mind.”

Jughead frowned as he saw her retreat. He grabbed her hand and dropped the act as he scooted closer to her side of the bed.

“No, not never mind. C’mon what is it Betts?”

Betty hesitated for a few moments before she finally opened her mouth again.

“We just, we haven’t done anything since then. I’d like to try something?”

“Well what did you have in mind?”

“I made the first move. So now it’s your turn.” Betty looked up at him with her big green eyes watching his reaction. His face was blank and his eyes searched her face for any clue that she was being serious until they reached her lips. She could see him swallow air as his Adam’s apple bobbed and as his eyes filled with uncertainty.

Her other hand tightened around his grip and she uncurled his fingers. Their fingers interlocked as their wrists waved back and forth and their elbows rested on their thighs. She smiled at the touch and pulled his hand closer and placed it above her knee. She looked up and caught him still watching their hands. She waited for him to look back at her. Her throat coiled as she tried to gather up any ounce of courage left in her body. Her mouth parted and she tried to focus on the little filaments of dark blue that wrapped around the soft hue that pooled in his eyes.

God he was beautiful.

She took in a breath and she softly said the words:

“Kiss me.”


	12. God of Wine

_The God of Wine comes crashing through_  
The headlights of a car that took you farther   
Than you thought you'd ever want to go   
We can't get back again   
We can't get back again   
She takes a drink and then she waits   
The alcohol it permeates   
And soon the cells give way, and cancels out the day   
I can't keep it all together   
I know I know I know...

 

_Third Eye Blind_

 

\---

 

“Kiss me.”

 

Her doe eyes widened and waited for him to move a muscle. Blood coursed through his veins leaving him with no dignity. Flush grew across skin and heavy breaths filled this old motel room. He took in a breath and laid his hand on her neck and drew his thumb against her jaw. Her eyelashes fluttered as she lost her breath in his lips. Within seconds his lips had taken hers. Something animal in him lit up like the old Pop’s sign back in Riverdale. Big and bright, once in the dark, Jughead lit up and let go.

 

His hands met her hips and soon he was lowering her onto the mattress. Betty let him push her down and it sent a jolt up her stomach. She felt his tongue trace over her bottom lip and she moaned at the action, letting him slip in and take her. She submitted beautifully wrapping her fingers in his curls. She whimpered as his lips travelled down her neck to her collarbone before returning to her pulse point.

 

He smelled her perfume against the old scent of the pillows and his mind went short-circuit. His lips frozen on her neck he heard her breath falter and wondered whether this was the time. The thought of stopping made his heart sink a little but this wasn’t what he wanted for her.

 

“Juggie?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Why’d you stop?”

 

Jughead pulled himself up and sat beside her. He sighed as he realized he had gotten a little too excited. _This is so not the time._ Or is it? _No, Jughead don’t be an idiot._

“Believe me, I don’t want to. It’s just this.” Jughead lifted up his hands, motioning to the room around him.

 

“This. This is not how I imagined it. You deserve more than me in a cheap motel room.”

 

“Jughead, I don’t care about that I-”

 

“Maybe you don’t but I do Betty. I’ve been thinking about this moment since I was sixteen. I want this to be more. You deserve more.”

 

Betty now remembered their circumstances as he popped the bubble. She had forgotten how she’s strewn him along all these years. She still couldn’t believe had loved her for so long. Now coming to think about it he hadn’t really ever dated. Not really. She also didn’t really know a lot about his sex life either.

 

“Jughead now that I’m thinking about it we’ve never really talked about you.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Have you? Am I-“

 

“Betty. No that’s not uhhm no that’s not the problem.” Jughead stumbled through the words chuckling at the thought of her thinking he was still a virgin.

 

Betty felt a little whiplash at the words. Who did he not tell her about?

 

“So who then? I mean you know everything about my history hell you and Archie know all my history. It’s a little embarrassing.” Betty reddened as she thought of all the times she would talk about her conquests not considering that Jughead was bothered by it.

 

“Oh, well. I guess one good thing came from growing up next to a girl. Yeah uh so even though Archie reddens and holds his hands over his ears any time it comes up but uhm Sabrina and I kind of helped each other out? And there were a few at NYU while you were gone. None of it meant anything, I think in my head I was always imagining you.”

 

“I know the feeling.” The memory of her uttering Jughead’s name with Veronica popped into her mind making her cringe. “So Sabrina? Explain.” Betty giggled at the image. It may have been a coping mechanism to dealing with the fact that Jughead wasn’t so innocent after all.

 

“Well it was only really in high school. It was the kind of thing where you both are inexperienced but don’t want to be and you trust each other so you just kind of do it for the sake of getting good at it.”

 

“Wow.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“So I have Sabrina to thank for your expertise?” Betty smiled into a laugh before she was in a fit of giggles.

 

“Uh…Yeah.” He started to laugh as well and within minutes they were both rolling around in hysterics.

 

“Oh I got to go thank her. Let me call her now ‘Hello, hey Sabrina thanks for breaking him in for me. Toodles!’”

 

Betty shrieked as Jughead grabbed her at her waist in response. “Oh you’re gonna pay for that.”

 

“Oooh am I?”

 

“Yes.” Jughead nodded as he pulled her into him as he wrapped his arm around her. He leaned over her to turn off the lamp and then turned back to her.

 

“Goodnight Juggie.”

 

“Night Betts.”

 

Betty felt the warmth of his breath on her neck as he whispered the words and soon fell asleep in his arms with her legs intertwined in his and her hands on his.

 

\---

 

Betty and Jughead woke up eight hours later and set out on the road. They drove till dark fighting over playlist selections and Betty’s weird obsession with Dawson’s Creek.

 

They found a target and decided to stock up on snacks and gorge out in the parking lot.

 

**Hour 40**

 

Betty wandered through the aisles of the grocery as Jughead left to go get chips. Her body floated over the linoleum and before she knew it she was in the liquor aisle. She stood there taking it all in. Her eyes danced over the glimmering bottles and her mouth watered. She looked her favorite brand rosé.

 

 _It’s so unfair,_ she thought as her feet stayed glued to the floor. Her eyes darkened and she held her stare and a hole opened in her chest inviting a melancholy as bitter and sweet as a martini.

 

_Why does it have to be me? Why me?_

\---

 

Jughead grabbed the bag of Tostitos, salsa, and some cheese puffs. He jogged through the candy aisle surprised he didn’t see Betty. He grabbed a bag of twizzlers and chocolate and ran down one aisle after another. He rushed to the next aisle but stopped in his tracks as he saw her. He fell back a little, clutching the food to his chest as he saw her eyes glaze over.

 

She was facing the tequila now. She didn’t waver as he slowly stood beside her. He looked at her but she wouldn’t budge, she wouldn’t look at him.

 

Betty’s body went warm and her skin flushed under his gaze. Her cheeks burned and her throat ached. She tried not to cry but soon tears were slowly trickling down from her eyelashes. She let out a heavy breath as her mind wandered into places of heady cocktails and crooked smiles. A world she loved, and was leaving.

 

Jughead felt useless as he saw her cheeks glistening with tears and her broken visage.

 

He reached down and held her hand. His fingers softly played over her palm. He rubbed circles into her skin as he watched her breath.

 

Her throat clenched and her voice cracked as she tried.

 

“Juggie I-“

 

“I know.”

 

She looked at him desperately as he cut her off and uttered the words. Her breath hitched. Her mouth closed and her lips pushed together as she tried not to break in front of his gaze.

_“I know.”_

 

The words fell off his tongue filling the air and coating her in safety.

 

“C’mon let’s go.”

 


	13. Dancing in the Moonlight

Jughead had decided to drive.

 

The bags of junk food were lying at Betty’s feet and she was stuffing herself cheese puffs for 40 minutes in silence.

 

Tears were drying on her face and Betty couldn’t tell whether the skin around her mouth was salty because of cheese puffs or because she had been crying. She just couldn’t stop crying, water just kept leaking from her face, and just as she thought she was okay she would notice Jughead’s nervous face beside her, and it would start all over again.

 

She was so damn close.

 

She was so close to just getting one drink. Just one. Her mind kept replaying that moment in the aisle. She remembered Jughead taking her hand softly. So soft and subdued, like she was a little kid, she felt like one. She had never felt so small as she followed behind with her feet pattering against the linoleum tiles in target. She had her bag of gummy bears in one hand and his in the other.

 

She stood silently behind him as they checked out at the cash register. The woman handed the receipt over and he pulled her into his side as they walked out. They left and headed for California.

 

It was dark out and they had no idea where they were going.

They were in Northern California with no plans to stay anywhere. Soon she had realized that they were in the suburbs.

 

“Jughead why are we driving around here.”

 

“I’m looking for a public pool.”

 

“It’s past twelve.”

 

“So?”

 

He challenged her as if he didn’t seem downright mad as he turned up the radio and looked at her as if nothing had just happened. His blank eyes questioned her as she stiffened up and began to panic about breaking into a pool.

 

“We’re going to get caught.”

 

“See, now what makes you say that?”

 

“Because.”

 

“Because?”

 

“Yes because! And I am so not in the mood to try to make you see how ridiculous how this plan is. You can go swim in your pool with your trespassing, but I am going to stay in here and eat these twizzlers!”

 

Her eyes bugged out of her head and she had started to rant with her hands as her waves bounced on top of her shoulders. This was a side of Betty that Jughead loved. He loved to see her stutter and watch as her eyes brightened, as she got more and more frustrated as he gave no reaction. A slow smile started to spread on his face as he realized he had succeeded. He had successfully provoked her enough for her to stop crying. And god was it beautiful when she rattled on about how dangerous and impulsive this was.

 

“What are you suddenly afraid of a little fun?”

 

“It’s not fun when a crusty man in his forties with a gun and a badge is telling you to get out of the pool stark naked cause your boyfriend decided to be an idiot!”

 

_Oh. No._

 

Betty froze as she just realized what was really wrong about what she had just said.

 

_Fuck fuck fuck fuckity fuck fucckkkkkk godamn shit fuck._

She watched in horror as she watched his face relax into a smirk that had sent a cold chill down her spine.

 

_Oh fucking hell oh no oh no oh no fucking god no no no no shit why is that turning me on, no no no, fucking hell no._

“Boyfriend, you say?” He said cheerfully as he pulled into the parking lot in front of the “Summerwood Local Pool Facility” and shifted the gears. He turned to her and leaned against the steering wheel with his face supported by his left hand, and he was wearing the smuggest face imaginable.

 

“Tell me, was the stark naked part for dramatic effect? Or was tonight about to get a lot more…exciting?”

 

Betty panicked.

 

And next thing she knew she was jumping the fence of the public pool with a bag of cheese puffs and twizzlers in tow.

 

\---

 

Betty and Jughead sat by the pool with their legs dangling over the edge and into the water. They had been talking all night, and it was going well. Somewhere along the way they were both laughing about something stupid Archie did, so it was a normal night.

 

But for a while it was nice to just sit in silence as their feet traced patterns across the water. Bright lines crossed over their faces as the aqua light moved slowly at their feet, reflecting upon the waves in their own eyes.

 

The moment was perfect, but Betty knew it couldn’t last long.

 

“You can’t keep saving me, you know.” She said so softly as the words got caught up in her mouth.

 

“What do you mean- keep saving you?”

 

“This. This trip. This intervention. Every bad night. Every fuck up. It isn’t your job to pick up _my_ mess. It’s supposed to be mine.”

 

“If this is about the moment in target earlier I understand I-“

 

“No, Jughead. You could never understand. You will never understand how that feels. How pathetic it is. How pathetic I am. That’s what I do, that’s what I am. You act like I’m more than I am. But really? I’m that trashy blonde who got kicked out at 16 because her mom thought she was a whore. Hey maybe I am.”

 

“Betty, that’s not. There’s so many things wrong with what you just said.”

 

“Oh don’t give me that shit about how it’s just a word and it’s just something used to be demeaning and oppressive. Cause believe me, you may not want to, but I’m not this innocent girl who lost her way that you see me as.

 

“I’m dirty, and I’m reckless, I’m-I’m a…

 

Betty stared into the water as her jaw hardened and her eyes turned cold.

 

“I’m a drunk.”

 

They were silent for a while until Jughead turned over.

 

“Betty, there is nothing that you have ever done, that you could ever do, that would erase the parts of you that _matter_. So many times I’ve ripped myself apart, there are so many parts of me that I have killed desperate attempts to love anyone, like I love you.”

 

He waited for her to look over at him. But she wouldn’t budge. But they were both crying at that point, there was no point in her hiding away from him when he looked as broken as she did.

 

Betty pushed herself onto her feet and started to walk back to the truck.

 

“Be-etty please-“

 

“Just trust me, one second. Grab everything, c’mon”

 

He watched as she jumped over the fence and looked back at him, motioning him to follow him.

 

She put her hand in his pocket pulling out the keys to the truck and pulled out her phone.

 

“Betty, what are you doing?”

 

“Just wait one second!” She reached over the seat and started the engine before plugging in her phone. Her other hand reached up and turned the volume notch around and around.

 

And then the opening to _Dancing in the Moonlight_ began to blast from the speakers and Betty was pulling him into the parking space next to them.

 

 _We get it almost every night_  
When that moon is big and bright  
It's a supernatural delight  
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight

 

“Betty…”

 

“Just dance with me, just for tonight.”

 

She took his hand to her waist and grasped the other. From left, to right, to back and front, and up and down they ran around and around, bodies entwined.

 

He smiled as she giggled and twirled under him, his arm circling above her blond waves making circles.

 

 _Dancing in the moonlight_  
Everybody's feeling warm and bright  
It's such a fine and natural sight  
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight

 

The song slowly faded as their faces stood in front of each other. Touching noses, heavy breaths, and her scared eyes looked into his.

 

“I think I’ve loved you for longer than I ever wanted to admit.”

 

“Then do something about it.” Jughead uttered, daring her to do anything.

 

And she did.

 

She kissed him that night until the sun began to rise, and there was nothing left of her, as if for one moment as she pulled back, she had been made perfect again under the Californian sun.

 

 

 

\---

 

“Time to see the Ocean beanie boy.”

 

“Please don’t remind me of my scene phase.”

 

Betty started to laugh.

 

“Ten years is a long phase Jughead.”

 

“Not one more word! We are never speaking of that again Betty. Never.”

 

“God don’t get so dramatic, I was only joking.” Betty said trying not to laugh more.

 

“ _Oh my god._ ”

 

\---

 

They drove all day stopping to eat and walk around.

 

Until it was dark and they had finally made their way down the coast.

 

Down to Laguna.

 

\---

 

Betty leaped out of the truck as the wheels came to a halt right before the beach.

It was two am and her braid was messy and her eyes gleamed in the moonlight that surrounded her.

 

He climbed out of the truck to find the sky covered in black meeting the horizon line with waves of navy crushing into each other. White foamed at the surface and rippled along the water and would run up the coastline and fall back in seconds.

 

He stood there for what felt like hours watching her walk towards the edge, her feet falling into the sand leaving marks in her wake.

 

Seeing the ocean for the first time was like seeing Betty Cooper. You never could get used to the beauty.

 

The smell of sea salt flew around him as the breeze made moves in his hair.

 

He could hear each particle of water flushing into one another and the flow of the waves as the traveled endlessly along the deep greys and blues.

 

It was a sweet sound, one that ruffled in your ears and echoed out among the water.

 

But there were sounds he still loved more and ones he had wanted to hear for so long.

 

There were sounds of a green eyed, perfectly broken, beautiful and kind blonde.

 

There were sounds of Betty Cooper and nothing could be lovelier to his ears.

 

“So is it everything you imagined it would be?”

 

He turned to find her beside him again with a smile sneaking up her face.

 

“Not even close, and so much more.” He smiled down at her and pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her eyes trailed over his hand.

 

As his arm fell back to his side she pulled him along the sand. Her head was illuminated in a halo against the moon as she walked backwards at looked at him.

She stopped a little but before the sand became wet.

 

“Wanna go for a swim?”

 

“Betty it’s two am and our swimsuits are all back in the truck.”

 

Betty tucked her bottom lip in as she looked up to him in her doe yes.

 

“We don’t need swimsuits.”

 

Jughead’s heart stopped.

 

“Be-etts I don-“

 

“Juggie.” She uttered softly as she began to take her braid out. Soon her top was off and so were jeans. She locked eyes with him as her hand moved to take of her bra. He heard the clasp unhook and soon it was left in the sand she stood there breathless. His eyes warmed as they ran over her skin and found their way back up to hers. A tenderness filled up in his chest at the sudden intimacy of it all.

 

In seconds she was there before him, bare and beautiful.

 

And the heavy-hearted sixteen-year-old boy inside of him broke at the sight.

 

The boy from the other side of the tracks, running after his sweetheart, the blonde in Riverdale who he never thought would look at him like she was now, softened and he thought to himself:

 

Betty Cooper wants _me._

_Me._

 

And everything suddenly went blue around him.

 

Because he was smiling, and for the first time in awhile, it had felt like he felt he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

 


End file.
